What They Expect to Give
by NineCaliber
Summary: The girls are now second-year students of Everfree State University. Though still good friends, they've drifted apart. None could have expected the bloom of awkward love to be the thing that brings them all together again. Least of all, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. (Equestria Girls; Slight AU; Written before Everfree and Season 6)
1. Prologue

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Prologue

Rainbow Dash should have felt at home here, where the cacophony of athletes at Rainbow Blaze's training facility managed to penetrate the closed office. The grunts and shouts of muscle builders, followed by the clang of falling weights. The rhythmic footfalls of runners on the indoor track. The muted collision of flesh against boxing mitts and dummy pads. She _would_ have felt at home, if it wasn't for one thing…

Her father's Wall of Success spanned before her, a sweeping testament to Blaze's achievements and connections. Even in the shafted early morning light that filtered through the window blinds, the dozens of trophies winked with smug supremacy in their glass cases on the shelves. Photographs preserved meritorious moments, like that time Blaze had dinner with the state governor, or the celebration with the gold medal Olympian he had trained three years ago. Framed newspaper articles read in bold headlines Blaze's personal success in various sports: basketball, football, soccer, and even a short stint in hockey. It was in track and field, however, that her father found widespread acclaim. Thanks to him, Everfree University had dominated the national championships. He'd done this at the age of nineteen, no less. Rainbow Dash had just turned nineteen-years-old a few weeks ago, and the pressure to measure up to his success was at an all-time high.

She felt simultaneously eager and panicked to meet the standard of excellence that Rainbow Blaze had set.

On the other side of the room, sitting behind his desk, her father was carrying on about his latest client—some rising star for the next Summer Olympics. She only half-listened. Blaze was perfectly happy to hear himself talk. Rainbow Dash dropped a grunt here and there to demonstrate that she was aware he was still moving his lips. It wasn't until he brought up her last soccer practice that she turned to look at her father directly.

Rainbow Blaze was seated with his arms crossed high on his chest. Like her, he also had rainbow streaked hair, though his was cropped short. He leaned back, making the leather of his office chair groan as he looked down his nose at her.

"So what's going on with your shooting?" he asked.

She wrestled her features into a neutral look as she went to stand in front of his desk with her hands in her jean pockets.

"What do you mean?" she replied.

"It looks like you've been slacking off. That's what I mean."

Rainbow Dash's jaw tightened and she clenched her fists in her pockets, making the fabric strain against the backs of her hands. "I've been practicing ball control in my spare time like you told me to. Could I have kept working on my shooting aim? Sure. But my vice captain, she's been helping me on—"

Rainbow Blaze's lips thinned as his eyes narrowed. "You know better than to blame others for your failures, least of all me." His voice was soft but cold.

She fell quiet and braced herself.

Blaze shook his head and sat forward. It was a look she'd seen many times. Her father saw something he didn't like, and he was going to kill it. Now.

"As for private training with your VC… That ends today. I can't believe I have to tell you that training too closely with lesser athletes will only drag you down. You're team captain. There's a reason she's second place, Dash. You want to be a champion? Train with champions. It's no wonder your shooting's off. You must have picked up some bad habit of hers."

Rainbow Dash couldn't take that. Sassaflash wasn't just her vice captain, she was also her friend. She glared as she leaned onto his office desk. "Sassaflash is a great soccer player—!"

Blaze slammed his hand down on his desk, making Dash flinch back.

"She is a weight that will drag you down," he growled. His yellow eyes were wide now. His pupils had dilated, as they often did when he was on the verge of erupting in anger. "Cut her off. Or do you _want_ to become like your mother?"

Rainbow Dash felt a flash of cold. Her body stiffened as she instinctively looked down at her sneakers. She should have seen it coming. Blaze stooped to this whenever she started to stray from his path to success. That didn't stop it hurting every time.

When she gathered herself, she forced out a laugh, a fierce smirk spreading across her quivering lips. "Come on, Dad. I'm awesome! There isn't a person alive who even comes close to what I can do on the field. No one's gonna drag me down!"

He stood to his feet and pointed a stern finger at her. "You're gonna be an awesome _disaster_ if you keep mucking around. Stop training with your VC, or so help me, Dash, I'll cut you off. No more gym memberships. No more pro trainers. No more _me._ I won't waste my time with losers, and that's just what you'll become if you keep on like you are!"

Rainbow Dash's smirk wiped off her face and her throat clenched. She wanted so many things. She wanted to yell. She wanted to turn on her heel and leave. And though she didn't want to admit it, the pricking at her eyes suggested she wanted to cry too.

But winning over all of that was a heavy weight that settled in her gut, a black and numbing fear, and it was this sensation that drove her to hold out her hands the same way she would if she were warding off some angry dog.

"Woah, woah! Geez! I'll do it, okay?" She chuckled nervously. "I'll stop training with Sassaflash! All right? Okay, dad? But I mean, give me a break! She's an important part of the team, not some benchwarmer." Her spine curled just a fraction. She added hurriedly, "Like, I mean— She's going to be at every practice! That's not what you meant, right? Avoiding her at practice? Because I can't do that!"

Blaze glared at her a moment longer before smirking in satisfaction. Perhaps there was even some amusement in his eyes at seeing her squirm. "Team practice? Sure. I thought that was a given. But your personal training should be between just you, me, and whoever I deem fit to train with you." He walked out from behind his desk and passed her on the way to the door. "And today, that's Bullseye. Ex-pro soccer player who led his team to win the World Cup at least once. He'll be working with you on your goal shooting."

She chewed her tongue. Years ago, such a prestigious athlete would have had Rainbow doing backflips. Now they just made her wary. Whenever Blaze brought in such an individual, she knew the pressure for an excellent performance would be quadrupled.

Rainbow Dash watched her dad go to the office door and open it. He paused in the bright doorway, his shadow stretching long into the dimly lit office. "Well? What are you waiting for?" he snapped. "Go get changed! Chop, chop!"

The sounds of the training facility poured into the room, clearer and crisper. They were the sounds of elite athletes honing their skills for the sports they loved.

Rainbow Dash would have felt at home here...if it wasn't for her father.

* * *

Their home was cozy compared to the neighbors, but Fluttershy didn't mind. It felt safe, snug, and warm. In contrast, Star Weld grumbled regularly about 'this tiny shack.' Her brother always seemed to be bumping into things, no matter how she rearranged the furniture. It was true that you couldn't take two steps from the front door without having to walk around something, but at least they _owned_ the place. Plus, it was their childhood home.

She wanted to remind her brother of these things when he glared around at the various knick knacks that crowded the moss green walls, but her courage always left her before she could even assemble what to say. Personally, she liked the knick knacks—the small ceramic animals, the snow globes, the foreign curios… It was a loving collection their parents had accumulated since before Fluttershy had even been born. Star had wanted to get rid of them years back, but she had begged him not to. It was bad enough that he had packed up their parents' room and turned it into a storage space. Removing the knick knacks would have been the same as burying their memory in her eyes. Few things in life did she stand firm on, but this had been one of them.

On the other hand, Fluttershy held no love for the moss green walls.  
She could admit that the paint color had the potential of creating a soothing effect to the ambience of their home. That was, except for the early mornings. When the sun's rays would have lightened up any other home, the paint absorbed the weak light, making the house gloomy and oppressive. Even the knick knacks seemed to leer from the shelves, their forms casting eerie shadows onto the traitorous backdrop.

This was the kind of atmosphere that Fluttershy awoke to on a regular basis, and the very same that she faced that particular day. Even after getting ready and making breakfast, the house felt too dim and sleepy. She would have liked to have turned on the lights, but Star Weld was adamant about saving money on energy, so she didn't. She really disliked cooking in such poor lighting, though.

Star emerged from the back hallway, dressed in his workman's overalls. His messy mane of royal blue hair flopped to the side, though it was clear to her that her brother had at least made the effort to run a comb through it. He muttered a good morning as he sat in the breakfast nook. Already prepared, Fluttershy set a plate of eggs, two slices of toast, and vegetarian sausages. Star was an omnivore, but Fluttershy, a longtime vegetarian, felt ill just at the sight of raw meat. It was just a sign of his love that he respected her sensibilities. Fluttershy didn't doubt that being able to still have eggs and milk helped a lot too.

When she sat down at the table with her own plate, Angel Bunny hopped into her lap. She smiled and gave him a piece of lettuce from her breakfast salad. A companionable silence descended on the small family as everyone ate.

It was when Fluttershy was halfway through her plate that Star Weld suddenly asked, "So how is the new job coming?"

She stiffened, her head ducking down before she caught herself and lifted it again with great effort. To everyone else, her behavior would have been observed as just her typical shyness—but Star Weld knew better, and she didn't want him to worry.

Clearing her throat, she said, "It's fine. I like working with animals."

 _That's sort of true at least,_ she thought with a little sigh.

The sound was her first mistake. Star Weld swallowed the food in his mouth and set down his fork. "Shy? What's up?"

Fluttershy winced. She looked at her brother sidelong as she poked at her salad with her fork.

"Um," she shrugged and finally gave in to her earlier urge to curl in on herself. "I like working at the animal hospital. I just wish… I felt like I was doing more."

Now Star Weld frowned. "I don't get it," he said. "You're helping to heal sick animals, aren't you? How is that not enough?"

Fluttershy let her hair cover her face and shrugged again. She set down her fork and hugged Angel to her chest, much to the rabbit's consternation. She'd made him drop his lettuce.

Star sighed, picking up his fork again. "Look, Fluttershy. I get it. Starting a new job isn't easy. But I really think this is better than the animal shelter. There, you were just a volunteer petting animals. At the hospital? You're earning decent pay, helping animals in a way that matters, and you're even getting credit for school. Isn't that the whole point?"

She gave the tiniest of nods. Angel squirmed in her embrace, and she let him go. Holding him wasn't making her feel all that much better anyway.

Her brother continued as he scraped food from his plate. "Fluttershy, you're old enough to start helping out around here. That scholarship you won last month was a big help, but it doesn't cover all your school costs. I still have to pay the mortgage and stuff, y'know? So just keep at it. I know you can do it."

"Mm, hmm," she said, peeking at her brother through her bangs.

He caught her look and smiled in what he must have thought was an encouraging fashion. Only half his face was lit from the front living room window, and the warm light highlighted his ragged features. Star Weld had shadows under his eyes, and he'd even missed a spot shaving his face, leaving one scruffy blue patch in the hollow of his cheek.

Fluttershy's eyebrows pressed together in concern. What time had her brother come home from the auto garage last night? She wanted to ask, but refrained. She wouldn't really gain anything from knowing. Star Weld didn't like it when she worried about him anyway. She swallowed at the lump in her throat, then straightened. Her features reluctantly settled into an expression of levity. Fluttershy pointed demurely at her cheek.

"You missed a spot," she murmured through a stiff smile.


	2. Chapter 1

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 1

" _Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get–only with what you are expecting to give–which is everything." - Katharine Hepburn_

* * *

It was a cool evening, and Rainbow Dash had completed soccer practice with her teammates down at Everfree University's soccer field. It was just at the border of the Everfree Forest, the school's namesake. She exited the locker rooms feeling accomplished, with her skin smelling like citrus from her shower. Her nose flared as she headed off the concrete path and across the freshly watered field. She hummed in pleasure. There was something about the clean smell of wet soil and cut grass that made her feel more alive than she could adequately put into words.

Following close behind her was Sassaflash. She had pale blond hair and big amber eyes framed by long luscious eyelashes. Both girls had their duffel bags—Rainbow Dash with hers bouncing off her right hip and the strap over her shoulder; Sassaflash with her strap slung across her chest, the bag itself bouncing against her back.

"Oh man," Sass yawned out as she stretched. Her hands settled behind her head as she tilted it back and gazed up at the burgeoning night sky. "Is it just me, or was that practice a little more… _boring_ than the last?"

Rainbow Dash slowed down so that they walked side by side, and glanced at her with an eyebrow raised. A grin appeared on her lips. "Boring?" She shrugged as her grin widened. "Yeah a bit, I guess. It's not like I have any _real_ competition in our practice games."

Sassaflash smirked and punched Rainbow's arm, making the other girl snicker. "Hardy har har. You're a real crack up, Dashie."

With her fit body and shorter stature, Sass was very attractive. When they'd first met earlier in the school year, Rainbow Dash had briefly entertained the idea of asking her teammate out on a date. As it turned out, she was already taken… Though, one had to wonder just how thrilled she was about it. Her longtime boyfriend, Caramel, was apparently very forgetful, having one time forgotten Sassaflash's birthday.

It was all just as well to Rainbow Dash. Her life was too busy for romance. Her father would have been displeased with her dating within the team anyway. Sometimes, Rainbow struggled with just maintaining her pre-existing relationships. Which was partly what had her in such good spirits tonight. She was going to meet with her high school friends for dinner. They all attended the same university, but amazingly enough, they hardly saw each other. Sunset Shimmer was even Rainbow's roommate at the sophomore dorms, but aside from brief conversations just before bed, they didn't get to interact or hang out much. Having wildly different educational goals did that to friends, she supposed. Rainbow Dash felt a touch of loss. She missed seeing everyone every day.

Which was what made Sassaflash such a great friend. There was hardly any effort needed in seeing her vice captain, and the two had very compatible personalities. It made the days a little less stressful.

"Man, you were practically _sleeping_ out there!" Rainbow teased.

"I think it was seeing the same victory dance for the millionth time. Seriously, Dashie? Can't be bothered to look up some new moves? I hear they have this thing called the Internet. They break everything down nice and slow for you in videos and everything!"

Rainbow Dash snorted. "Puh-lease. You dream you could break it down like me." Then just for good measure, she pumped both fists into the air and gave one good pelvic thrust. "Unf, baby!"

Sassaflash rolled her eyes with a suffering grin. "Yeah. I have _feverish_ dreams about it, Rainbow Dash. That must've been why I felt like napping out on the field. I couldn't wait to get back to them!"

"You're so full of crap."

"At least I'm not a thundercunt."

There was a drawn out pause. Rainbow Dash pursed her lips as Sassaflash gave her a sly smirk.

"Sassaflash, I'm not doing it," she said flatly.

"But _why?_ "

"I just won't!"

"' _Douchecanoe_.' You can say, 'Douchecanoe', can't you?"

Rainbow grimaced. "You know I don't curse."

"And in the year since I've known you, I still haven't got an explanation as to why. I mean, you aren't exactly a _reverent_ person, Dashie."

"Sass, it's hard to explain."

"Try me."

Rainbow sighed. After a moment, she grumbled through tight lips, "I Pinkie Promised."

Sassaflash grinned in amused confusion. "You what?"

"My friend Pinkie Pie. She made me and our other high school friends Pinkie Promise to never curse."

The vice captain's eyebrows rose high. " _Never?_ "

"Never," Rainbow said gravely.

"But… She isn't here."

"You don't know Pinkie Pie. I had to negotiate just to be able to say the words 'crap' and 'damn'."

Sassaflash's expression turned incredulous. "Rainbow Dash, you can't be serious. How would she know you cursed when she's not around?"

"I'm serious. Like _dead_ serious. Pinkie Pie always knows when you break one of her promises." She shuddered, a haunted expression coming over her face. " _Always_."

Sass whistled. "Well, if she's that bad, maybe we should get Griffonstone to promise her they'll lose? Then nothing will stand between us and Everton at the championships."

Rainbow nudged her. "Don't be so negative! This upcoming game with Griffonstone is a done deal. They don't stand a chance against us!"

"I guess," Sassaflash murmured. Then she fell quiet, her smirk vanishing as she looked away.

Rainbow Dash, sensing something amiss, looked at her friend.

"Sassaflash?" She frowned. "Hey. Is something wrong?"

Sass took a moment before she turned and said, "Rainbow Dash, you're the best player on the team. Any idiot with eyes can see that."

Rainbow smirked and shrugged.

 _Why deny the truth?_ she thought.

It was when Sassaflash spoke again that the good feeling started to drain out of her.

"Rainbow, do you think… Do you think you could talk to the coach about giving some of the rest of the team a chance?"

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and exhaled hard. Her eyes cast to the side as she scratched her head. "Uhhh—Well—"

"Look, I know Blaze puts a lot of pressure on you and the coach," Sassaflash said gently. She laid a hand on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "But I'm vice captain, and even _I_ get passed over in our plays a lot. Strategically, it leaves us at a disadvantage, y'know? What if you get hurt, or the opposing team structures their entire defense to stopping just you?"

Rainbow scowled and shoved her hands into her pockets. They were now cutting through a portion of the Everfree Forest to return to the main campus. In the soft evening ambience, the trees were both beautiful and unsettling. It wasn't the kind of place she wanted to have this conversation. What was worse, this topic had the potential of bringing up—

"I mean, haven't we been training together on our off days?" Sassaflash said, with just the smallest hint of guilt in her eyes.

 _Damn._

Rainbow Dash scowled, her colorful bangs shading her gaze. "About that." She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "Sass, I can't train with you one-on-one anymore."

There was a heavy silence following this, and Rainbow groaned on the inside. Opening one eye, she glanced at her friend to see her staring resolutely forward with a neutral expression.

"All right," Sassaflash sighed.

Rainbow Dash scratched her head again. "I mean, it's—it's not that I don't like—"

"It's all right, Dash," Sass said firmly.

Rainbow looked at her in surprise.

Sassaflash wore a soft frown just as their makeshift path led them out of the forest and into a small park area next to the main campus. She shrugged, turning to walk in the direction of her dorms to the east.

"Just forget about it," she muttered.

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to call something out, but she thought better of it and snapped her mouth shut. Still gazing after her friend, she started to head toward the parking lot, which was on the other side of the park to the west. She only took a few steps when her legs tripped on something soft and squeaky, sending her crashing to the ground.

* * *

Fluttershy had just gotten off an afternoon shift at her job. The animal hospital was like an entirely different world from the animal shelter she had once volunteered at back in high school. The shelter had its share of sad cases paraded through its doors, but the hospital felt like some kind of horror show to Fluttershy. It felt like every day some devastated animal was being brought in, either the victim of circumstance or the negligence of their owners. Her employer was an intuitive veterinarian who felt like a potential mentor of sorts, and he had quickly figured out that Fluttershy was best kept away from the front desk as much as possible. The first time the ordinarily shy pre-vet student had seen a clear victim of animal abuse (a pitiful cat that didn't even have the energy to protest its strange surroundings) she had erupted into a verbal avalanche of scorn and horror. That had happened on the third day of the job.

"Fluttershy," Doctor Heartclaw had sighed in the break room where he'd managed to drag her away. "I understand how you feel. But launching into tirades is not what we do here. You know what we do? We tend to the immediate needs of the animals, and if _after_ we conduct a full examination we see something amiss, _then_ we call animal services. Cutting a client down to size without having all the facts is just bad business."

 _Business._

That was what haunted her, even now. Doctor Heartclaw hadn't said _mission_ or _purpose_. He'd said _business_. As if they weren't handling living creatures that deserved every bit of dignity and respect as they did.

How could she explain to him that when she'd seen that cat, shivering and huddled at the back of its carrier with its eyes crusted heavily and its fur falling out in clumps, that something incommunicable had passed between them? Fluttershy could see the pain and the fear. With little conscious effort, she'd been able to establish a rapport with the cat. She'd handled it during its examination as it seemed to trust no one else to keep it safe. In the end, they did call animal services. The owner surrendered his cat, but Fluttershy felt a rare kind of rage at his lack of care.

"So does this mean I don't have to pay?" the owner asked; he was a boxy-headed gorilla in a suit who was perhaps too rich to be bothered by the fines levied against him by animal services. The cat probably wasn't even in his direct care. Maybe it was his wife's, or his children's.

Fluttershy didn't like feeling animosity towards others. It literally made her nauseous. But for this man, and whoever else may have been involved in the pain of that cat… There were no words for the anger she had felt towards them.

Thankfully, this particular work day, there had been no obvious cases of abuse from any of the pets brought in. That didn't make them any less depressing. One elderly woman, who clearly loved her poodle very much, was simply too old to care for her pet properly. She had brought the dog in, and in its fur were maggots and feces. A cut on its hind leg had been infected, with the insects festering in the wound.

Fluttershy had to excuse herself to cry in the bathroom after they'd done what they could.

Working at the animal hospital was like watching a tidal wave crest high and crash over her. In contrast, working at the animal shelter had been more like seeing the water and sea foam recede back to the sea. You only had to deal with the aftermath, and in that space, real _healing_ could begin. It was true that the shelter had to make hard decisions too, but Fluttershy had always felt like by that point all that could honestly be done for the animal in question had been attempted. It helped that almost everyone who worked at the animal shelter was there purely for charity, not for a paycheck.

 _What am I doing?_ She thought miserably as she entered the park just west of the main campus. She'd thought it would be nice and relaxing after an exhausting work shift to see the sunset from here. She couldn't relax, though, if she was thinking such depressing thoughts.

 _Maybe it really is like Star Weld says?_ She thought with downcast eyes. _I just need to give it more time._

The school was on a hill that overlooked the city, affording those on campus with the breathtaking view of the sun setting over Canterlot. She found a spot to sit, close to the forest, and let Angel out of her backpack. The bunny stretched, happy for the moment of freedom, before he curled up in her lap.

She'd started to stroke him absently when her eyes grew heavy.

 _I'll just close my eyes for a bit_ , she thought with a yawn.

Her mind sank into the dark ether of sleep, but it was not a settled and peaceful place. Her dreams were troubled with images of animals suffering, their lifeless bodies piling one over the other as she watched. She was horrified but unable to stop the endless pain—

The next thing Fluttershy knew, something had toppled over her, rousing her from her nightmare. It wasn't painful so much as startling.

She squeaked out in alarm before slapping two hands over her mouth as she sat up to stare with wide eyes at the person who tripped on her legs. Angel scampered off into the nearby brush, chittering in a panic.

Her eyes fluttered as they took in a colorful head of hair.

 _Wait…is that?_

She blushed and sputtered, "R-Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash groaned and dragged herself forward, removing her legs from over Fluttershy's before she flipped over onto her back and squinted one rose pink eye at her.

"Shy? Geez, what're you doing there?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Fluttershy hunched her shoulders around her ears as she drew her knees up. "I'm really sorry!" she squeaked. Her next words came in a rush: "Normally people don't walk this close to the forest, and I was just so tired that I closed my eyes for a few moments. I don't know how long I fell asleep for! Maybe I could've seen you before I drifted off? Oh, but that isn't an excuse. I really shouldn't have been in the way—"

Rainbow Dash sat up and held out her hands. "Fluttershy, chillax, will ya? All I'm saying is I didn't see you. I wasn't looking where I was going, and that's on me, all right?" She frowned and gestured at Fluttershy's legs. "You okay? I didn't bruise you or something, did I?"

Fluttershy hugged her knees, ducking her face behind them. Rather than speak, Shy gave a small shake of her head. She could feel the tips of her ears burning as a fresh blush spread across her skin anew.

 _This is the worst!_ she thought with tears clouding her eyes. _Of all the people I could have tripped it had to be_ her.

Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy wasn't sure when it had started exactly, but she could only admit it to herself after high school graduation.

She was attracted to her friend.

She wanted her friend.

She _yearned_ for her friend.

But because she was a coward, and because they seemed so different, she just never bothered to say how she felt. She'd hoped, vainly, that the years would take her attraction away. That she'd move on, or even be _forced_ to move on due to circumstance, but nothing of the sort came about. Her desires still burned on, stubbornly so, like a torch in a raging storm.

 _I wish I could disappear._

Rainbow gave an exasperated smile at Fluttershy's behavior. She stood to her feet and shouldered her duffel bag. "Judging by the fact that you were out here sleeping, I'm going to go ahead and guess that you missed whatever bus you usually took to get to the restaurant, right?"

Fluttershy raised her head just enough to blink up at Rainbow Dash. Then her eyes widened and she jumped to her feet. "Omigosh! Our monthly dinner!" She turned and patted her thighs. "Angel! Come on, silly bunny! We're going to miss the next bus!"

Angel popped out from the forest underbrush, his furry face tight and his long ears pinned as he scampered back to her. Catching him in her arms, she turned to grab her backpack off the grass when Rainbow Dash's look made her halt.

"Did I already miss dinner?" Fluttershy whimpered.

Rainbow palmed her face. "Fluttershy," she sighed. She looked at her and smirked. "Do I own a car?"

Fluttershy shouldered her backpack and carefully placed Angel in it. As she did so, she frowned and said, "Yes?"

"And are we not going to the same exact dinner?"

"Yes, but—"

"So is there some particular reason I can't just drive us both there?"

Fluttershy bit her lip as she hugged her backpack. "So…" She dared a nervous smile. "I _didn't_ miss the dinner?"

Rainbow Dash just groaned and started walking away. When Shy didn't follow, the athlete turned and hollered over her shoulder, " _Fluttershy!_ "

Blushing hard, Fluttershy hurried to catch up. "C-coming!"


	3. Chapter 2

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 2

Rainbow Dash's car had been a gift for graduating high school. While her dad was a respected trainer who owned his own training facility, they weren't Moneybags-rich. Still, a red convertible was a nice used car to own. Rainbow called it her 'classic awesomobile', a designation that Twilight Sparkle habitually corrected because of a myriad of dreary reasons associated with insurance. Rainbow didn't care. The car was old, well cared for, and most importantly, _really cool._

A fact that was apparently lost on Fluttershy.

Her timid friend sank down in her seat, one hand clutching her backpack to her chest, the other trying vainly to keep her long pink hair from dancing with the wind. Rainbow Dash grinned as her colorful locks flew free in the intense gusts that swept over the car as they soared down the highway with the top down. When their exit came up, she pouted a bit, but she changed lanes and slowed to the appropriate speed.

Once the wind died down, Rainbow Dash glanced at her friend and asked with a hint of laughter in her voice, "You all right?"

"You were speeding, weren't you?" Fluttershy asked hoarsely.

"Yep!"

Her friend gave a frustrated huff, and Rainbow Dash flashed her a rakish grin. "Shy, you gotta live a little. Besides, we don't wanna be late, do we?"

Fluttershy managed an indignant look. "No, but you scared Angel Bunny."

As if to prove this, she opened her backpack so that the bunny could poke his head out. He looked fine to Rainbow.

She grumbled as they came to a red light. The crimson glow washed over them as the sky loomed dark. Just to kill time, she reached over and gently patted Angel's head. His eyes narrowed as he flashed his teeth with a growl, and she hastily pulled her hand back.

 _Little punk._

"Sorry little buddy," she said instead. "I tend to live fast!" Then sparing a curious look at Fluttershy, she said, "Speaking of furry critters, didn't you start a new job at the animal hospital?"

Rainbow blinked as she saw Fluttershy tense up.

"Yes," was the delayed response.

The light turned green. Rainbow Dash accelerated, casting another look at her friend. "And?"

"And what?"

"Geez-louise, Shy! I wanna know how it is, that's all! I'm not asking for your deepest darkest secret or something."

Fluttershy shrugged, looking away. "It's fine. My co-workers are nice. I'm learning a lot there."

Rainbow frowned. Though she knew it was a poor habit, she kept glancing between Fluttershy and the road. "Shy? That doesn't sound so enthusiastic. What's up?" She turned down a narrow street to escape the traffic. And also to focus on her friend better. There were considerably fewer cars on this street. Everything nearby was closed.

Fluttershy sighed heavily. She still refused to look at Rainbow Dash. "Nothing important," she murmured.

They hit another red light, despite Rainbow's vain attempt at making it to the intersection on yellow. The little red convertible squealed to a stop, jerking both passengers in their seats. Frustrated and a little nervous now, Rainbow Dash wrung her steering wheel as she cast sidelong looks at Fluttershy.

 _Something is obviously wrong. Is it because we've all grown apart that she doesn't want to talk to me? Or is it…?_

Rainbow could feel her neck and cheeks flush with heat as she fought to leave that thought unfinished.

They sat in a drawn-out silence that made her sweat. She wished Fluttershy would just say something. Or at the very least, for the light to turn green. It appeared to be functioning on a timer, much to the athlete's frustration. She already regretted taking this route. Rainbow Dash heaved out a heavy breath through her nostrils as she leaned on her door. She sucked at her teeth and frowned.

 _Man, I suck at this mushy stuff… Will this light just hurry up and change already?_

A single beat up car rattled across the intersection. The light still did not change.

"Seriously?" Rainbow muttered.

When she looked at her friend again, it was to see that Fluttershy was letting her hair fall over her face as she curled over her backpack.

Rainbow Dash groaned inwardly. As uncomfortable as it made her, she couldn't ignore her friend's unhappiness. She just wished it were Rarity or Sunset Shimmer handling this and not her. Even Applejack was more suited to this.

She reached over and touched Fluttershy's shoulder. The moment her hand made contact, Rainbow could feel her friend stiffen under her touch. Startled blue eyes peered wide through Shy's curtain of pink hair. Rainbow Dash let go immediately, heat crawling up her neck again as she tried to roll the discomfort off her shoulders.

Just before they'd started their time at Everfree University, Rainbow Dash had become aware of a change in Fluttershy. It had been small at first, but with time, it had become more apparent each and every time they met. The shy girl was more skittish around her, and blushed constantly. Simple physical contact had become all but impossible. It was obviously a crush, but if anyone asked her what brought it on, she wouldn't be able to answer. The one thing she knew was that it made interacting with Fluttershy very difficult.

Rainbow Dash had considered confronting her friend about it, but as their college lives began, they saw less and less of each other. Given the infrequency with which they even got to talk, Rainbow wondered what use there was in causing Fluttershy undue stress. She'd hoped, perhaps in vain, that she would move on and find someone else to moon over. Rainbow Dash never really could make out how deep her friend's feelings went. She never really wanted to know. They had a good thing going with their group. Sometimes, it felt like their friendship was one of the few things she could really count on. The idea of losing that made her stomach clench. She especially hated the idea of that dynamic changing because of misplaced feelings.

 _It's not like I did anything different to earn them,_ she thought with mild irritation. _If she just thinks I'm cool, then I can't really blame her. But that_ isn't _it._

"Sorry," Rainbow Dash mumbled to her friend. "I just thought—" She swallowed hard. "You look really down." She looked at Fluttershy with a creased brow. "I hate to see you sad."

The light turned green. Rainbow eased onto the accelerator and glared up at the offending traffic light as they passed under it.

Fluttershy uncoiled with what seemed to be great effort. "No. I should be the one to apologize. I didn't mean to worry you," she murmured. Her smile was sheepish.

"Hey, no biggie. Just want you to know that I'm here, y'know?"

"I know, Rainbow." She blushed and looked away. "Thank you."

 _Oh man, Fluttershy. When are you going to let these feelings go?_

Silence descended on the car once more. Rainbow Dash realized with a quick glance that her radio was off. Even with passengers, she usually had it on low volume, so this surprised her. Had she shut the sound off without thinking?

In a quick move, she twisted the leftmost dial and the digital interface became a soft blue beacon in the growing night. The music that came from the speakers was a spunky pop rock number from Rainbow's workout playlist. She grinned and sat back in her seat, hitting the steering wheel with one loosely clenched fist to the rhythm. She wouldn't have minded if the rest of the ride was spent this way—

"Rainbow?"

"Yeah?"

"I haven't seen you at Psychology in a while."

The athlete's tongue found a home in her cheek.

Psychology. It had only been a month since the new semester had started, and Rainbow was dismayed to learn that Fluttershy was in her class. By that point she'd thought the whole 'crush' thing would have resolved itself. To say that the issue hadn't contributed to her skipping a few extra classes would have been a lie.

She couldn't tell her friend this, of course. It wasn't even the whole truth, anyway. Rainbow Dash was genuinely busy with soccer. On top of that, in comparison to some of her more basic core classes like Literature or Mathematical Statistics, Psychology just didn't seem all that pressing. Other athletes she'd talked to had talked about it being one of their 'filler' classes. It was practically a guaranteed pass.

"Yeah, I know I've been absent from class a lot," Rainbow said with a shrug. "I just have a lot on my plate. I asked my coach to talk to the professor today. It'd be nice to have one less thing to worry about."

Fluttershy frowned. "I was looking forward to taking a class with you. I understand if you're too busy though." She let out a little sigh.

Rainbow Dash winced as she pulled into the parking lot of their destination.

 _Sure, Dash. That doesn't make you feel like the biggest heel in the world._

The place they were eating at was an Italian family restaurant named Massaro & Rosine's. Pinkie Pie had recommended it after ordering catering from the establishment for a party. For lack of better options (or energy to seek them out), it had simply become routine for the group to eat there every month. Rainbow didn't mind. The food was good and the owner was nice. Only Rarity saw fit to grumble about the carbs every time.

"How about I set aside some time to come in tomorrow?" she offered as they exited the car.

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow at her in a rare moment of criticism. "'Set aside time?'"

"Hey, I thought you wanted to have someone to sit with in class?" Rainbow returned with a scowl.

As they approached the restaurant entrance, Fluttershy rubbed her arm. Her lower lip stuck out in a pout that made Rainbow Dash look twice.

 _Fluttershy pouting? You don't see that every day._ Without thinking, she smirked. _Damn, that's cute._

"Well, yes," Fluttershy admitted. "But shouldn't the main reason you come be because you actually care about your own success?"

Rainbow opened the door and stepped aside, one hand waving away the notion as her smirk widened.

"I already told you!" she exclaimed. "My coach was going to handle it tonight. If I go, it'll be for _you_ , Shy."

She immediately regretted her phrasing. Fluttershy had rooted herself to the sidewalk, her eyes going very wide as her face tinged pink to match her hair. Rainbow stared at her in incredulity for a moment before jerking her head toward the open entrance.

"Earth to Fluttershy, come in," she deadpanned.

When no response came, Rainbow Dash looked up at the sky as if to ask what celestial being had brought this unique brand of torment upon her. Then with an air of great impatience, she moved in to steer her mute friend through the open entrance with an arm over her shoulders. Fluttershy didn't seem to know what to do about this, and so she offered very little resistance. Her body radiated with hot embarrassment. Rainbow Dash, aware of her friend's mortification and the reasons behind it, blushed a little herself, but she pressed on resolutely.

If she let Fluttershy set the pace, they'd _never_ get to dinner in time.

Inside, the walls were painted to resemble the old villa interiors of Tuscany, very warm and textured, with Italian works of art breaking up the negative spaces. The restaurant was reasonably busy without feeling like a zoo. The air was thick with the smell of pasta and flavorful sauces.

Bypassing the restaurant greeters, they headed toward the back of the establishment where a large square table had already been reserved by their friends. Everyone was there, with two empty seats side by side.

Pinkie Pie spotted them and jumped up, waving frantically all the while. "Hey! _Heeeey!_ Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy! Over heeeeere!"

Sunset Shimmer, at Pinkie's right, reached up and pulled the excitable girl back down.

"Pinkie, I think they know," she said patting her friend's hand. Sunset smiled at Rainbow and Fluttershy as they took their seats. "Guys! Glad you made it. For a second it looked like we'd have to order without you!"

Rainbow Dash grinned at her roommate. "You might have if Fluttershy had her way."

Fluttershy blushed and scuffed her shoes on the floor. "I'm sorry."

Rarity tutted and gestured for them to sit. "Sit, sit! There's nothing wrong with being fashionably late—"

"Not late," Twilight Sparkle corrected at her side. She extended an arm to show her wristwatch. "They're right on time, actually."

"Fashionably on time then!" Rarity amended irritably. "The point is I'm hungry and would like to order something before I _faint_. You don't know hunger until you've had to work for fifteen hours straight on a fashion portfolio!"

Applejack, with her fist in her cheek, smirked at the fashionista from across the table. "What? No comments on the carb count tonight?"

She chuckled as Rarity flicked droplets of water from her drink at her.

As Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy settled, Twilight Sparkle threaded her hands together and smiled.

"So shall we start on our monthly updates now, or wait until after we order?" she asked.

Fluttershy actually looked panicked at that. "M-monthly updates?"

"Yes!" Twilight said, her smile widening. "I thought I could start, and then we can go around the table. Then afterwards—"

Sunset Shimmer narrowed her eyes at her. "Twilight, are you hiding a schedule under the table?"

Twilight stiffened. "What makes you say that?"

Her response was a stern look and an extended hand.

Slouching, Twilight produced the paper she'd been hiding and handed it to Sunset. It looked numbered and typewritten.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Seriously, Twi?"

Twilight pouted and crossed her arms. "I just thought we could use with a bit more optimization to our gatherings, that's all!" She looked around at everyone with a touch of sadness. "I don't get to see any of you all that much anymore. I missed being together so much that I figured…m-maybe if we could fit in more meaningful discussion then—"

Sunset Shimmer reached over and took Twilight's hand. Her smile was sympathetic. "Twilight, I get it. But you know that isn't how it works." She gestured around at everyone. "We've all got our own plans, and that means we go down different paths. It doesn't mean those paths can't cross every once in a while. You just can't _force_ it, y'know?" She patted the other girl's hand. "And hey! We're going to start working on that project together, right? So you'll get to see more of me, at least!"

Twilight wiped away an errant tear and nodded with a weak smile.

Rainbow Dash shot her an encouraging grin as the bookworm looked around the table and saw similar expressions. It was still weird to think that _this_ Twilight (Sci-Twi, as Rainbow teasingly called her) was not the same as Princess Twilight. She didn't have the empathy and social know-how of the pony princess they had first met back in high school. That wasn't to say she hadn't learned a lot since they'd all become friends at the Friendship Games, but little naive moves like this always served as a sober reminder that Human Twilight was a separate person. For the magic of friendship, Sunset Shimmer was, in many ways, their premier expert.

On its own it wouldn't have felt ironic, save for the fact that Sunset had once turned into a demon and tried to turn Canterlot High into her personal army to take over the land of Equestria.

Rainbow Dash shook the thoughts away.

 _Man, when will that stop feeling strange? Sunset Shimmer is a great person and a great friend. We can't keep holding that over her head._

At that moment, Sunset Shimmer frowned and looked at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

"Hey," she said, a smirk spreading across her lips. "Aren't you two taking a Psychology course together? You must be hanging out way more than any of us!"

Rainbow glared.

 _Nope. I take it back. Sunset definitely has a demonic streak still left in her._

"Rainbow Dash hasn't been showing up to class," Fluttershy said with a furrowed brow. "So we haven't…" she shrank as Rainbow Dash's glare turned on her.

Twilight gasped, her hands actually going to cover her mouth. "You've been skipping class!?" she asked with horror.

"I haven't been 'skipping' class," Rainbow said, making air quotations with her fingers.

Rarity cocked her head to the side, one eyebrow raised. "I'm…confused. Did you perhaps drop the class?"

"No."

"Well, are you at least downloading the lectures off the course page?"

Rainbow squinted one eye as she crossed her arms. " _Pfft_ , heck no! I've got better things to do."

Rarity smiled uncertainly. "Darling, I'm sorry to say this, but it _sounds_ as if you have in fact been skipping class, then."

"It's still early in the semester, Dashie," Pinkie Pie commented with a cheery smile. "You still have a bit of time to drop the class and switch to something else." She clapped her hands eagerly as an idea struck her. "Oh! Oh, oh, oh! You could take Food and Culture with me!"

Rainbow Dash blinked slowly. "Uh… Pinkie? I'm a Sociology major."

"And I major in Hospitality Management. Won't it be fun?" She giggled.

"I meant, I don't think I can—"

"She can't take Food and Culture, Pinkie, cuz she'd just skip out on that too," Applejack said derisively.

Rainbow Dash clenched her jaw. "And what do _you_ know about it, AJ?"

"Ah know that anyone who pours as much time into kicking a ball back and forth can't be all that serious about school, Dash."

The table stilled.

Rainbow sat straight, her body igniting with adrenaline. "Oh yeah? And what about you, huh?"

She could feel Fluttershy touch her tightened arm, but Rainbow jerked away from the contact. She refused to take her eyes off of Applejack, who seemed to be affording her the same kind of attention.

Compared to everyone, Rainbow had felt the rifts of time most acutely with Applejack. She had once been a friendly rival able to match the soccer player in competition, but college life had somehow turned her into this distant, critical, sullen shadow of her former self. Rainbow had no idea what brought it about, but in that moment she didn't care for the reasons. She wasn't going to let anyone take shots at her, and by extension her team, without some returning fire.

 _Wanna spit on what I care about? Let's see how you like it._

"Can you even call yourself a real college student when you earn half your credits sweating on your family's _muddy_ _farm?_ " Rainbow snarked.

Applejack ripped her hat off her head and stood up with eyes ablaze. Rainbow followed suit, her lips hitching up in a humorless grin.

 _Well that was easy..._

"Woah!" Sunset Shimmer waved her hands frantically. "Hey, hey, guys! Cool it, okay? This is _not_ what these nights are supposed to be about!"

When this appeal didn't seem to have the immediate effect, Sunset was hoping for, Rarity laughed nervously.

"Girls?" she said. "Surely we can set aside our differences for two _teeny_ hours, yes?" She quailed under their intense stares. "Er… I take it that's a 'no'?"

Rainbow Dash pointed an accusing finger at Applejack. "I don't care if she's the embodiment of honesty! Being honest doesn't make her _right_. If she keeps pushing me, I'm gonna—"

"Yer gonna what?" Applejack snapped, slapping her hand away. "Ya can't go toe to toe with me, Dash, so don't even pretend!"

"Wanna _bet?_ "

" _Enough!_ " Now Sunset Shimmer was on her feet, her eyes shining with focused intensity. "Didn't Twilight Sparkle just get through pointing out that we hardly get to see each other anymore? Is this what we want to turn the evening into?"

Applejack looked down at the table, actually looking remorseful. Rainbow Dash just scowled and crossed her arms defiantly.

Sunset's expression softened as she looked between the two of them, Rainbow in particular. "Can we sit and just enjoy tonight? _Please?_ "

Applejack sat without another word. Rainbow Dash snorted and did the same.

She peeked around the table. Twilight Sparkle looked outright sad now, her glasses reflecting the white of the table linen. Rarity had a frail smile on her face, a stiffness in her shoulders that hadn't been there before as her eyes darted between them. Pinkie Pie was still smiling pleasantly, but the expression was lukewarm and distant, with her eyes focused on her lap—no doubt to play around on her cell phone. Sunset Shimmer looked tired and worried, like she was seeing something troubling that they couldn't. Applejack looked inscrutable, her face having turned to stone as she stared through the table.

 _Nice. Real nice, Rainbow Dash. You wait for this an entire month and you make the entire thing Awkward City._

Rainbow Dash turned her head just enough to look at Fluttershy.

The animal lover had refrained from participating in the conversation thus far, but Rainbow was surprised to see the girl giving _her_ a wide-eyed look. Rainbow sat up a little straighter, her expression lengthening in concern.

 _Did I scare her somehow? Why is she looking at me like that?_

Rainbow Dash leaned toward Fluttershy, her mouth opening to whisper her questions to her, when Pinkie Pie cut her off in a sudden squeal.

"IT! IS! HAPPENING!" Pinkie cheered as she threw confetti and streamers into the air.

Everyone looked at her in alarm. Rainbow wondered, perhaps for the millionth time during the course of their friendship, if Pinkie Pie had access to some kind of secret party dimension for the express purpose of pulling out surprises at random times.

"What do you mean, Pinkie?" Twilight sniffled out. She even dabbed at her eyes a little.

Rainbow groaned inwardly. _Oh geez, Twilight. You were_ crying?

Buoyed by her automatic annoyance for emotional displays was a fresh sense of guilt that made her squirm. Right then, Rainbow Dash didn't feel like a very good friend. In fact, after her conversations with Sassaflash and Fluttershy that evening, she was feeling like a downright _rotten_ friend.

Before she could get too deep into her self-pity, Pinkie Pie jumped up from her seat and did a little dance.

"It's the most amazingest, super-riffic, fantabularastic thing!" She giggled with delight.

The tension that had fallen over the table was already dissipating in the wake of Pinkie Pie's unbridled joy.

"Pinkie, you've got us on the edge of our seats! Let's hear the good news, already!" Sunset Shimmer said with a grin.

Pinkie Pie appeared behind Rarity in the blink of an eye, bodily lifting up the nonplussed fashionista in her signature bear hug. "Rarity, I just got the email! Our first ever social event for Delta Alpha Kappa got approved! _We're doing the costume party!_ "

Rarity's face went blank as she tried to process this, errant locks of her purple hair dancing in front of her glassy eyes. Then a look of hysterical happiness swept her over her, and she returned Pinkie's bone-crushing hug as she babbled:

"Oh my goodness! You can't be serious! Are you serious? You _are_ , aren't you!? Oh Pinkie Pie I could just _cry!_ "

Rainbow couldn't help but chuckle along with the others. Rarity and Pinkie Pie had both joined the same sorority in their first year of college. Apparently they had been looking to combine their passions to bring something special to Delta Alpha Kappa this year.

"A costume party, huh? What did you guys have in mind?" Rainbow Dash asked with a grin.  
If there was one thing that could move the night forward from the tense start, it was this.

Rarity and Pinkie Pie both started to speak at once-

"The 80s! Lots of synth! Big hair! _Bigger_ finishes!"

"Ooh! Picture a simply mesmerizing return of lace, silk, and _pearls!_ "

And just like that, things were all right again. On the surface, at least. It was about as much as Rainbow could bring herself to hope for these days.


	4. Chapter 3

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 3

It was late morning. Rainbow Dash tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes without success. She'd just rode her blue penny board over to the Liberal Arts building from the dorms after awaking to realize she'd slept through her alarm. When you got up at four in the morning to workout and do math homework, exhaustion was a given. Taking a nap afterward had felt like a natural thing to do.

 _Great idea, hotshot._

She'd told Fluttershy she would show up. She couldn't just bail. It wasn't like her to leave friends hanging.

 _Maybe I'll get lucky and class was cancelled? Then I won't make a scene, and I technically will have kept my promise!_

As she came to the doors to the lecture hall, she could hear the Psychology professor, Dr. Axon, speaking to the class. Rainbow Dash palmed her face.

 _Horseapples._

With a bracing breath, she turned the handle to the door. It wasn't locked, which was a small relief, considering some teachers locked tardy students out. Still, that meant that Rainbow was now going to have to disrupt the class to get inside.

 _Heeeeere we go. Fashionably late, like Rarity likes to say. Just grin like you totally meant to do it._

Donning a rakish smile, Rainbow pulled the door back and slipped through the opening. As she crossed the threshold, the professor's lecture became intelligible.

"The codependent strives to overcome the core belief that they are unworthy and unlovable by working hard to earn love from another. The more a codependent feels they are being denied acceptance, the harder they—" Dr. Axon broke off as he spotted Rainbow Dash trying to sneak up the side stairs to the top seats. He was a tall, slim man with a black goatee and combed back hair. He scowled and crossed his arms. "Oh ho! The venerable Rainbow Dash has decided to join us! What an auspicious occasion."

Rainbow flinched and waved as the class looked at her. "Don't mind me, Teach. I'll just take my seat and—"

"See me after class, please."

There were scattered snickers as her stomach sank.

 _That doesn't sound good._

Dr. Axon resumed his lecture. With her cocky attitude successfully squashed, Rainbow frantically scanned the theater seats for a familiar head of pink hair. She eventually spotted Fluttershy in the very top row. She was doing her utmost best to flag Rainbow down without actually doing anything to draw any attention to herself. The athlete just managed to refrain from an eye roll as she went to sit next to her friend.

"Hey," Fluttershy whispered as she neared.

"Hey," Rainbow muttered back. She sank in the vacant seat next to her friend, and propped her head up on her fist. "So what am I going to pretend to listen to for the next twenty minutes?"

"He's doing an overview of dysfunctional relationships."

Rainbow Dash grimaced. "Lame," she said.

Fluttershy only shrugged, her attention returning to the front of the class. Rainbow looked forward too, though as she propped her feet up on the back of the empty seat in front of her, she thought she could feel her friend's eyes on her again.

Axon changed the slide on the projector screen with the push of a small remote. The image switched from a person pushing a giant boulder up a hill, to a word and its definition.

"An emotional manipulator is anyone who engages in behavior meant to change the attitude or behavior of other people by using subversive, deceptive, and abusive means," the professor said to the class.

The slide changed to a split drawing. On one side, a little girl could be seen taking a bottle of liquor from her passed out father's hand. On the other, the girl was grown up and with a black eye, wilting under the verbal barrage from an angry man gripping a beer bottle.

"Codependents are drawn to manipulators for love and validation because they are taught to do so at a young age. They're practically addicted to it. Even when the relationship frustrates or hurts them, they will always return with some excuse or justification as to why they 'need' to stay."

Rainbow's eyes began to get heavy as the lecture continued. Axon's flat voice didn't help. The words became harder and harder to follow along with, and they broke apart in the sieve of her consciousness. As her eyes closed, the last thing she understood Axon say was—

"Some codependents evolve to become emotional manipulators themselves…"

* * *

Rainbow Dash felt something poke her cheek. She choked back a snore and her eyes shot open as she tried to make sense of where she was. Her gaze fell on a pair of familiar blue eyes framed by pink hair.

Fluttershy was still seated next to her in the lecture hall, but she had her books and notes packed up in her bag and looked ready to leave. The room was alive with the sounds of students gathering their things, moving around, and talking.

Rainbow Dash dug the heels of her palms into her eyes. She dropped them to look around before asking hoarsely, "Class just ended?"

"Yes, Rainbow," Fluttershy answered.

"Did… Did Professor Axon ask me to—"

"Stay?"

Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows. "Well, did he?"

Her friend bit her lip and looked down as she nodded.

The athlete groaned. "That's just great. I was kind of hoping that was a dream."

"I can wait for you outside if you like."

Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head. "Nah, you don't have to… I was a pretty lame classroom buddy today. My bad."

Fluttershy spared a small closed mouth smile that struck Rainbow as sweet. Ridiculously so.

"It's okay," Shy said as she shrugged one shoulder. "It was still nice having you here."

The classroom was near empty now. Rainbow Dash jerked her head, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. "You should get going."

Her friend stood, looking hesitant to go. "I don't have any lectures after this, and my co-op at the animal hospital doesn't start for another two hours. I can wait a little…"

Rainbow smirked. "Sure, that's cool. Hopefully Axon isn't going to keep me for too long. Maybe we can grab some lunch?"

Fluttershy's smile broadened. "I'd like that."

They waved to each other as she left down the stairs. The animal lover passed Professor Axon on the steps and ducked her head, hurrying her pace. Rainbow Dash stood as the man approached, but consciously made the effort of keeping her smirk there.

 _Never let 'em see you sweat, as Dad_ _likes to say._

"Rainbow Dash, captain of Everfree's women's soccer team," Axon said flatly. He had a manilla folder in his right hand.

"Axon, professor of psych, and stater of the obvious," Rainbow Dash returned. Her smirk gained more of a tilt as she cocked a hip. "Sup?"

"Cute." He held up the folder. "This is your file on the class so far. We've had all of two take-home assignments, one short quiz, and one in-class activity."

"Busy for a lecture class, don'cha think?"

"Some professors are content to drone to their students. Me? I like to keep them on their toes." He turned the folder to the side. It was very thin. "Are you seeing the problem here?"

Rainbow Dash scratched her head. "Umm… Your filing system still has yet to go green?"

A chuckle escaped him at that, but it was short and rough. He shook his head. "Rainbow, your file is practically empty." He opened the folder and held up what looked like an attendance sheet. "One fourth of the course grade is simply showing up. You haven't even been managing _that_ much."

Rainbow didn't like where this was going. She tried to swallow down the tension that was forming in her throat and said, "Coach told me he'd talk to you. Did he?"

Axon nodded. "He did. Got in touch late last night, in fact."

"He did?" Rainbow pulled her phone from her pocket and was horrified to see that her alarm hadn't been the only thing she'd slept through this morning. In her haste to get to class, she hadn't paused to really check the device. She scrolled past the missed calls on her phone's history with an increasing uneasiness.

 _Stupid nap! Why do I have to be such a heavy sleeper!?_

Rainbow tried to keep her voice calm as she asked, "All right. So what did you say to him?"

"I said, 'I don't care if she's the captain of the soccer team. If she isn't even meeting the minimum requirements, then I'm not going to let her stay in my class.'"

"H-hold up. You said _what!?_ "

"Right now, your complete and utter lack of participation has resulted in a zero. As per the school's policies, I cannot let you take partial credit for a course you aren't even attending."

Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide. "You're kicking me out? But they'll take my scholarship away if I lose full-time enrollment status!"

Axon held up his hands. "You're right! But you aren't the first student athlete I've had in my class. You just might be the first one I kick out, though. No one has snubbed this course so bad before, and I don't feel like I ask a lot in return. The other athletes at least bother to _show up_."

"This is crazy!" Rainbow Dash's voice cracked. Her body flushed with heat, the muscles tightening as the panic seized her heart and squeezed. "Do you have any idea what this will do to me? _Do you?_ My father is an alumni of this school! He's donated thousands of dollars! He made Everfree _national champions!_ What will people say if his daughter has to drop out!?"

Axon sighed, putting his hands on his hips. "Rainbow Dash—"

Rainbow sat hard in her seat, rocking back and forth. "Oh man. He'll kill me."

" _Rainbow_ —"

"My dad is going to _kill_ me—!"

" _Rainbow!_ "

She looked up at the professor wildly. Uneven gasps rattled past her dry lips.

Axon knelt down, his face tight. His dark gray eyes had gained a keen edge, becoming bright and full with surprise, but also shrewd and studious as they took in her features. "Listen to me. You _might_ be the first one I kick out, but for the moment, myself, the head of the department and the university dean want to offer you a second chance."

Rainbow Dash stared at him. "A s-second chance?"

"Yes."

Her eyes narrowed. "What kind of 'second chance'?"

Axon stood back up, one hand in his pocket, the other tapping her folder against his chest. "I want you to show me you understand this class and its material. I want a fifteen-page report along with a thirty minute presentation covering as much as you can on what I've taught so far. To get you back on track with this class, you'd have to score the equivalent of a B-plus."

Rainbow Dash felt the color drain from her face.

"I'll give you a month to get it done," he continued. "Download the past lectures. Those will show you where we are in the textbook. Maybe ask a classmate for notes. Whatever you do, I want you to get creative on what you talk about. I need to see you demonstrating a real knowledge of the subject instead of just reading words off a card. In addition, you can't skip out on my lectures anymore. If you pass this thing, I want you to be able to pick up where everyone else is."

She gazed at Axon like he had turned into a monster hell-bent on her destruction.

The man patted her on the shoulder, his lips pursed. "That's what I can do for you, Rainbow. If you have a question, email me. You can do this... _if_ you try." His piece said, Professor Axon turned and walked away.

Rainbow Dash didn't move from her seat.

 _I can't believe he's asking me to do this. There's NO way I can do this! Not with the championships coming up. Is he_ insane? _Does he even know how busy I already am?_

She put her head between her knees and fought to slow her breathing.

 _Between my other classes, soccer practice, and my dad, how can I possibly—?_

"Oh, and Rainbow Dash?" she heard Axon call from the front of the lecture hall.

She sat up reluctantly.

He smiled at her, his messenger bag on his shoulder, and his coat on his other arm. "Aren't you friends with the quiet, pink-haired girl? Fluttershy?" He winked at her as he made for the exit. "Thought you should know, she's top of the class so far."

Rainbow's brain took a moment to process that, long after the doors to the lecture hall closed.

 _Fluttershy is…the top student of the class?_

She could feel a solution in there somewhere. It was bigger than just getting Fluttershy to help her with the project. Rainbow Dash wasn't sure she could even do the project in the most rudimentary sense, so she doubted even a thousand eggheads helping her would get her a passing grade. No, she needed quality work. She needed to eliminate the need for a safety net entirely. How could Fluttershy help do that?

 _If I got Fluttershy to do my project for me…_

She felt ashamed just to think of it, but there it was. When Rainbow thought of the alternatives—of losing her scholarship, losing the right to play soccer, and even losing her father—she couldn't completely dispel the reprehensible idea. In fact, it grew in her mind with alarming speed, making her fidget in her seat as if she could act on it right then and there.

With a grimace, Rainbow Dash wondered next, _How could I get Fluttershy to even do that for me? We're friends, but we aren't friends like_ that. _I'd have to dangle a carrot in front of her. Something she really, really wants—_

And then it hit her, in all its terrible glory.

Rainbow Dash covered her face in her hands, the simultaneous revulsion and desperation making her feel empty and sick. She tried, weakly, to talk herself out of it. But then it occurred to her that she was already at the point where no other course seemed even possible. All she could see was her father turning his back and walking away.

 _You ungrateful loser,_ he would say.

That was just her imagining what Blaze would do. But the reality was far worse. _Had_ been worse.

On the day her mother had left them, Rainbow Dash had cried for hours.

 _You're pathetic!_ Blaze snapped at her. _Your mother doesn't want you, so why are you crying for her? Shut up and get your cleats. We're gonna sweat the tears right out of you!_ _Winners don't cry like babies._

She had been nine years old.

What would he say now? What would he _do_ now?

Any alternatives closed themselves to her in that moment. She would not lose another parent. She would not be a failure. Her path seemed clear.

 _I can get Fluttershy to do the project for me, because I have something she really wants._

Rainbow Dash dropped her hands, her expression weary.

 _That's me._

* * *

Fluttershy leaned against the wall just outside of the lecture hall, her backpack at her feet. Her eyes glazed as she let her thoughts carry off in whimsical directions, like a butterfly dancing in the wind.

She thought about Star Weld, and how worried she was for him. He was carrying a weight, one that he wasn't willing to share with her. She hated thinking that at this point in her life, she couldn't help him share the burdens—that she might even be _among_ his burdens. It made her anxious and sad. The self-loathing and ambition mixed dizzyingly in her heart; a potent need to become something more than she had ever been.

A door slammed somewhere down the hall, making her jump, and her thoughts jumped similarly, startled like that theoretical butterfly, changing its course to move in concert with the world's breath.

Rainbow Dash.

It had surprised Fluttershy to see the athlete show up at class. When the clock had ticked past twenty minutes from the start of the lecture, she had assumed that something of import had delayed her friend. It was also possible that Rainbow Dash had slept in. She was a notorious fan of sleeping.

But when Rainbow had come into the class, so casual and confident, Fluttershy's heart had sped up. That devil-may-care grin on Rainbow's face, her colorful windswept hair, the light flush on her cheeks from riding her penny board across campus… Did she know how alluring she could be?

 _What am I thinking? Of_ course _she does._ Fluttershy thought with a pout. _This is the same person who wrote a song about how_ awesome _she is._

She sighed a little.

 _It's true, though. She's awesome. And cool. And sexy…_

Fluttershy wished, not for the first time, that she could somehow be Rainbow Dash's equal. She felt so plain in comparison to her skilled and daring friend. Rainbow was so sure of herself, that Shy doubted the athlete ever second-guessed her path in life. She seemed destined to excel in sports. Students on campus spoke of Rainbow with stars in their eyes. Everyone knew that the Everfree Dragons were on their way to the national women's soccer championships.

"Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash's voice pierced her thoughts.

She looked up to see Rainbow gazing at her in a way that she couldn't recall the other girl ever doing in the past. It was appraising. And yet…something was off in the light of her eyes. A glistening there, like she'd been holding back tears and had just blinked them away. The latter detail would have been alarming on its own for Fluttershy, who stood from the wall with a look of fresh concern. But there was one more thing. A tension. It was in her friend's shoulders-like Rainbow Dash was about to get into a fight, and she wasn't sure she was going to win.

"Rainbow Dash! What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow Dash swallowed hard, her eyes casting down at her sneakers. "Nah, nothing's wrong." A small pause. "Well. Okay, that's not true. But that could change. With some help."

Fluttershy took a step forward, her arms wrapping around her stomach in an attempt to quell her growing anxiety. It wasn't the idea of helping, so much as the idea that Rainbow was in trouble. Few things could worry Fluttershy more than seeing her friends in need. "You need help? With what?" she asked.

When her friend failed to respond, Shy dared to step closer, to better catch Rainbow's gaze with her own. "Rainbow Dash, I can't help you unless you tell me."

Rainbow Dash stared at her—no— _through_ her, for a long moment. Then she grinned sheepishly, her hands shoving into her pockets. "Yeeeah… All right, I'll tell you. Fluttershy, I have a huge Psychology project due in a month on all the material we've covered so far."

"Wh-what!? I don't remember him telling us—"

"I'm the only one who has to do it. It's to make up for all the time I skipped. I have to pass it, or I'm going to be in deep trouble." Rainbow's head turned a fraction to the side. "I hear you're the top of the class at the moment."

Fluttershy's eyebrows shot high. "I am?"

"Yep."

"But we're still so early in the semester!"

"Go figure. Look, what I'm getting at is—" Rainbow Dash rocked back onto her heels and hitched her shoulders. With a grimace, she asked, "D'ya think you could help me with the project? I'd owe you big!"

Fluttershy chewed on the corner of her lip, her gaze dropping.

 _Can I do it? I'm pretty busy myself, what with my job and my pre-vet classes…_

She looked back up at Rainbow only to realize with a start that her friend had taken a step closer. Only a few inches kept them apart now. The athlete's brow wrinkled and her lip pouted in a fantastically effective puppy dog look.

"Please, Shy? I… I need you," she begged quietly.

Fluttershy's eyes went wide and her heart hammered in her chest.

 _Did she say..._ need? _She can't have… No I must have heard her wrong!_

Rainbow Dash could only hold her gaze for so long. The athlete turned her face again, this time a light blush on her cheeks. She rubbed the back of her neck and heaved out a heavy sigh. For just a brief moment, a dark snarl passed her features, before being swallowed once again by that desperate, vulnerable expression.

Fluttershy stared, wondering if what she saw had just been in her head.

At her prolonged silence, Rainbow looked at her again, considerably more fear in her eyes.

"Fluttershy. _Please?_ " she murmured. Her deep, scratchy voice was husky from barely restrained emotion.

That did it.

Fluttershy reached out and gently grasped her friend's shoulders. "I'll help you, Rainbow Dash. Forgive me for hesitating. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't promising something I couldn't give you!"

Rainbow Dash's face split into the biggest grin and she let out a loud whoop, which was followed by the most breathtaking hug Fluttershy had ever received—and she'd caught plenty from Pinkie Pie's strong arms. Rainbow even lifted her up bodily in the air and spun around the hallway, causing Angel to squeal in protest in Fluttershy's backpack. She squeaked as she felt her friend's arms around her torso, so tight, their bodies sharing warmth for those precious few seconds before she was set down again.

Rainbow's grin did not abate, even as Fluttershy bowed her head to hide the intense blush that swept over her, from head to toe.

"Thanks Fluttershy! Omigosh, you have no idea how much this helps. I'll make it up to you, I swear, dude. I _swear!_ "

Fluttershy could only shake her head in a weak attempt to communicate that recompense was not necessary.

 _Just being near you is enough._

"Okay, so how about we try and get an early start? What time do you get off today? Can you even do today? Please say you can!"

Fluttershy's head jerked up, her eyes fluttering.

 _That's a good question._ Am _I available today? Oh Fluttershy, why don't you think these things through?_

After some consideration, she said, "I— Y-yes. I should be free by eight tonight." She winced when the words left her mouth.

 _That's only_ right _when you get off work, dummy. You'll be late. Say something!_

Rainbow grinned and gave a thumbs up before she pulled her penny board from out of her open backpack. "Awesome! So then I'll meet you at the Freenote Library, close to this building. That cool? You know where it is, right?" She was already backpedaling down the hallway.

Fluttershy managed a jerky nod. "Y-yeah! I—"

"Sweet! Hey, I gotta catch you later, Shy. I need to let the coach know that I'm doing this since it might affect my responsibilities to the team. Raincheck on lunch, m'kay? See ya!"

Fluttershy stared, flabbergasted as Rainbow Dash ran down the hall and rounded the corner, out of sight.

 _What… What have I gotten myself into?_


	5. Chapter 4

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 4

Rainbow Dash had been running damage control for the rest of the morning with her coach. She couldn't cut out on the practices, but she _could_ come in late for one or two. She also had to drop a meeting this week or she just didn't see her 'plan' working. He'd been reluctant to agree, but given the circumstances he didn't have much choice. Now as the sun rose high, it was time for lunch with Sassaflash, the next person she needed to gain the support of.

Rainbow rode her penny board to their usual meeting place in the quad. Sitting on a bench next to a large maple tree was Sass. Her vice captain was giggling as she watched something on her smartphone. Absently, she picked what looked like a leaf out of her hair, which was left loose around her shoulders today. Rainbow did a fast foot brake when she was near, and walked the last few steps to sit next to her friend.

"Hey," she panted.

"Sup!" Sassaflash returned with a jerk of her head. She leaned over so that Rainbow Dash could see what she was watching on her phone. "Dude, check this out."

"What is it?"

Sass snickered, "Just watch!"

The video started off shaky, and all Rainbow could see was the passing floor. Judging by the carpet pattern, it was Sassaflash's dorm room. Suddenly, the camera panned up to reveal that many things had been duct taped to the ceiling. Among the items: textbooks, a chair, shampoo, a hairbrush, and dozens of pieces of underwear.

 _Spitfire's_ underwear.

Rainbow stared at Sassaflash. "You didn't," she breathed in awe.

Sassaflash was laughing so hard, she wasn't even making a sound. She barely managed to squeak out, "I did!"

Spitfire was another member of their soccer team and one of their wide midfielders. She was serious and intense, but patient, making her one of the few capable of putting up with the spunky Sassaflash and her constant hijinks.

Sass waved a hand, literally bouncing in her seat. "Oh! Oh! Look, here's where she comes in."  
Rainbow grinned and leaned in.

The video showed Sassaflash hastily placing her phone down in a discreet location somewhere on a shelf, then jumping out of the dorm room's window into the bushes just underneath.

 _Advantages of living on the first floor_ , Rainbow thought wryly. _You always have a fast escape route_.

A second later, the door opened and Spitfire entered the room. She had on her iconic aviator glasses and was distracted by something on her smartphone. Clearly on auto-pilot, she went to her side of the room where indentations on the floor indicated her desk chair should have been. Without fail, Spitfire turned, started to sit down, and promptly fell through air.

Rainbow snorted out a graceless round of laughter as her teammate in the video sat bolt upright, her glasses askew on her face. Her eyes were wide as they darted around for the source of the disruption. When she finally looked up, she punched the floor, her face turning red to clash with her fiery hair.

" _Damn_ it, Sassy!" Spitfire hollered.

The following next couple of minutes showed their beleaguered friend struggling to find a way to remove her belongings from the ceiling. The seat was the easiest to remove, but the other items were beyond her reach, even with the added height of the reclaimed chair. Sassaflash had clearly used a ladder to reach the high ceiling. Poor Spitfire was forced to resort to jumping on her bed—a rare and deliciously hilarious sight that had Rainbow and Sass gasping for breath between their laughter. Spitfire's jumping gave her back many of her underthings, but not all, and that still left her textbooks.

 _This was just what I needed after this morning,_ Rainbow thought happily. _Sass rocks!_

By the end, Spitfire was no longer burning red, but she had a fierce grin on her face.

"You are _so_ lucky I don't have anything important going on today," the midfielder muttered, just loud enough for the phone to pick up. "I'm going to get you, Sassaflash. Just watch."

Sassaflash blew a raspberry at the screen as she ended the video. "Whatevs! Like she could."

"That was good!" Rainbow chuckled. "I did something like that once. For New Years, I completely covered Sunset's bed and pillows with gift wrapping paper."

"Geez! What did she do?"

Rainbow snickered. "She fell asleep right on top of them! Didn't even care! Apparently she didn't go to bed till like four in the morning." She burst into laughter once more as she pointed weakly at her cheek. "Sh-she had the pattern from the paper stuck to half her face from when she drooled on it! Had no idea till someone pointed it out to her later!"

Sassaflash joined in her friend's new round of good humor.

Wiping away a tear, Rainbow Dash calmed down enough to ask, "So how'd you get your phone back without Spitfire kicking your butt?"

"I had to wait for her to leave to get a ladder. Then I climbed back through the window, got my phone, and hoofed it over here." Sassaflash glanced around. "Speaking of which, we should probably get going before she runs up and maces me or something."

"What food are you in the mood for?" Rainbow asked as they started to walk in the direction of the parking lot.

"Subs?" Sassaflash suggested.

Rainbow grimaced. "We always do sub sandwiches!"

Sass scowled at her. "Wha'dya mean? We had dumplings last week!"

"Alternating between the two isn't exactly my idea of variation, Sass."

Sassaflash rolled her eyes. "Fine. What do you want?"

"Steak," Rainbow Dash said without hesitation.

"Ew. Rainbow, you eat too much red meat!"

Rainbow frowned and held up a warning finger. "Don't you say it—!"

"You should become a vegetarian like me."

A groan.

Sassaflash shot her a dirty look. "I'm telling you, you'll be a better athlete for it!"

"No way!"

"Fine. You know what? Let's rock, paper, scissors this."

Rainbow quirked an eyebrow. "What? Why would I do that?"

"Because, dummy! If you win, I'll go with you to get steak. I'll get a smoothie or something instead."

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "And if I _lose?_ "

"You get a salad," Sass said with an evil grin.

"Pfft. As if!"

"You scared?"

"Man, you _suck_ at baiting."

Sassaflash held up a fist and wiggled her eyebrows. "C'mon!"

Rainbow looked at her from the corner of her eyes.

"C'moooon!"

When Rainbow failed to lift a fist, Sassaflash pouted and lowered hers. "Wow. You actually didn't rise to the bait."

"Nope."

"You weren't even a _little_ tempted, huh?"

"Nah."

"Gosh, you're so mature, Dashie."

Rainbow frowned and cast her friend a suspicious glance. "I mean, _yeah_ , but why does that—"

"I just thought you'd want a chance at beating a three time rock, paper, scissors champion of Canterlot county."

That actually made Rainbow Dash stop dead in her tracks. They were nearly out of the quad. Sassaflash went ahead only a few steps before looking back with a smirk.

"I must have heard you wrong," Rainbow said, digging a pinky in her ear. She closed the distance between them and said with exaggerated slowness. "You're the rock, paper, scissors _champion?_ "

"Yep."

"That is _so_ not a thing!"

Sassaflash sighed dramatically, pulled out her phone from her back pocket with a flourish, and after a few deft taps, held it out to Rainbow. Nonplussed, the soccer captain took it and looked at the display. It was an online news article. Her jaw dropped to see a younger Sassaflash holding up a trophy under the headline, _First Annual Canterlot RPS Champion Crowned!_ It had even been reported by one of the reputable local news sources.

Rainbow looked at her friend in a new light. "Dude! I had no idea you did this!"

"Dashie, there's _lots_ of things you don't know about me." Sassaflash smiled wryly as she took back her phone and tucked it away. "From freshman year of high school till my junior year I was the best of the best at rock, paper, scissors. Until…"

"Until?"

The vice captain's face soured. "Until some pink-haired upstart psyched me out in the semi-finals senior year!"

Rainbow froze. Nervously, she asked, "Did this girl happen to have a thing for balloons and cake?"

Sassaflash gave her a creeped out expression. "Y-Yeah! She even busted out a 'party cannon' out of nowhere when she won. How'd you know that?"

A rough sigh. "Because you got beat by my friend Pinkie Pie."

This revelation seemed to sink in slowly for Sassaflash. When she had fully processed it, her hands buried in her hair and she half-yelled. " _That's_ who Pinkie Pie is!?"

"Duh! Don't you guys have to enter your names into the contest to compete?"

"Yes, but it was optional for us to use our real name on stage! _I_ used my real name, but _she_ used a stage name."

Rainbow had to ask: "What was it?"

"Shewana Bigg Bundts," Sass deadpanned.

 _Ugh… Of course Pinkie would!_

Sassaflash started to backpedal, urging her friend to follow her and resume their walk. "Man, that explains why you're so scared of her—"

"I'm not scared of her," Rainbow protested.

Sass resumed as if not hearing, "Pinkie Pie had, like _ESP_ or something that night. When we were in our match, I couldn't see past her poker face!"

Rainbow was familiar with this 'poker face'. It was Pinkie Pie smiling. Non-stop. Not blinking. Not even a muscle twitching. Their group actually had to have a group intervention to get her to soften the intensity during card games. Fluttershy had started to get nightmares. Rainbow too, but she didn't admit this to anyone. Her secret made explaining away her sudden distaste for cupcakes very difficult.

"Sass, don't feel down," she said to her friend. "There's only three choices in rock, paper, scissors. It's basically a gamble."

"What? No, no, no! You don't understand. It's totes scientific!"

"Sure. Like my boxers are scientific."

Sassaflash puckered her lips and held up her fist. "Fine then, hot shot. Try and beat me!"

Rainbow smirked, "Fine then, you're on!"

It was only much, much later that she realized Sassaflash had just been baiting her all along.

* * *

Canterlot Animal Hospital was buzzing with activity by the time Fluttershy entered through the back door and clocked in for the afternoon. She had on her scrub uniform and comfortable sneakers, her hair pulled back into a high ponytail with her asymmetrical bangs clipped back. No one was around to greet her as she started down the hallway. Passing one room, she saw two of the vet techs, Prism and Sugar Spin, drawing blood from a particularly contentious feline patient. In another room was her fellow vet assistant for the night, Honey Grace. She was cleaning out the animal cages, and she looked quite content to be doing so, despite the fact that she was scrubbing away dried diarrhea.

Fluttershy understood the feeling. She was certain that even Prism and Sugar Spin were glad on some level to be handling the cantankerous cat in their care. Being in the back rooms meant one thing: they weren't in the front.

Since she was new and under a special education program, Fluttershy had to report to someone of appropriate authority to tell her what duties she had that night. Fluttershy mostly just floated between the more menial positions. The hospital manager, Sandy Scarab, usually oversaw this, but if she was preoccupied, then Doctor Heartclaw was to give her work.

Sandy could be found either in her office or at the front coordinating with the receptionists. When the animal lover ran out of hallway, she crept to the corner and peeked around. No Sandy in sight. Fluttershy hastily retreated. She did _not_ wish to join Blue Note at the front, and if the receptionist saw her, she might find herself coerced into a job she was ill-suited to. Instead, the meek girl made her way back down the hallway to the cage room.

"Honey Grace?" she said.

The other girl looked up, her brown hair bobbing as her light brown eyes snapped out of their trance. "Huh? Oh, uh, hi…Fluttershy." For some reason, her co-worker still had to fight to recall her name, despite them having most of their shifts together.

"Have you seen Sandy?"

"Actually, she said she'd be back. She had to go to the bank before they closed because of some kind of accounting error."

Fluttershy bit her lip, then asked. "Did she say _when_ she'd be back?"

Honey only shrugged and resumed her cleaning.

 _I guess I have no choice then…_ Fluttershy thought with a grimace.

She didn't like reporting to Heartclaw. She didn't mind supporting him with the patients, but when he was in his office...it was like something was turned off inside of him, and it often led to him misunderstanding her or vice versa.

She went back down the hallway to Doctor Heartclaw's closed office door, and knocked softly.

"Come in," he called from inside.

When she cracked the door open and peeked inside, it was to see her employer sitting at his desk with his doctor's coat off, typing away at his computer. He had pale blonde hair and a receding hairline, though his cut figure, strong jaw, and clear green eyes suggested he was far from past his prime. He barely glanced away from the screen as he greeted her.

"Ah, Fluttershy. Hello!"

She cleared her throat and moved a little further into the room. "Hello, Doctor Heartclaw."

"I guess Sandy Scarab isn't back yet, hmm?"

"No."

He finished typing out a sentence, then turned to regard Fluttershy fully.

"How are you tonight?" he asked with a polite smile.

"I'm fine, thank you," she said with her chin unconsciously tucking in. She didn't like the way the doctor was looking at her. He usually only gave her this much attention when she'd done something wrong.

"Fluttershy, you've had more time at the hospital. I think it might be time to give the front desk another try."

Her eyes widened. "No!" she protested loudly.

Doctor Heartclaw blinked at her in surprise.

Fluttershy winced as though he'd shouted at her and looked down at her tennis shoes. "I-I mean… Please, no. I don't think that's a very good idea."

The man chuckled. She peered up at him to see he was leaning on one arm rest with a smirk on his face. "Fluttershy, you really needn't panic. Sandy told me she needed some basic information entered into the system. Client updates, that kind of thing. You won't have to deal with anyone that walks in."

She knew better. Blue Note was like a puppet master. It would start slow, then steadily build…  
 _Fluttershy, dear, can you get this call? I have to talk aftercare with this client. Oh! Hon, actually, this is the mayor calling about her poodle again—can you do the aftercare talk instead? And don't forget to greet this client. Yes, well if he asks you some questions about the schedule, just take a peek at this planner here. Got all that? Thanks, Fluttershy!_

The girl wrung her hands, feeling on the verge of tears. "D-Doctor Heartclaw, please. I insist! Can't Prism go instead of me? She's so much better at speaking to people than I am!"

Doctor Heartclaw shook his head firmly. "No. You need to get over your fear of the clients if you ever hope to be a vet, Fluttershy. Besides, Sandy asked for _you_ specifically."

"She did?" Fluttershy was beyond bewildered by this. That was, until she thought about it for a moment longer. The only other person Sandy Scarab could have realistically asked to do data entry for her was the spacey Honey Grace.

 _Poor Honey… I think she's had cleaning duty too much. Those fumes make her so out of it!_

Heartclaw nodded, already turning back to his screen. "If that's all, Fluttershy. I need to finish this documentation."

"Yes, Doctor Heartclaw." Feeling defeated, Fluttershy turned to leave.

* * *

They were sitting in a booth at a local diner off the interstate. Rainbow, having lost in a best-out-of-three set of rock, paper, scissors, was forced to order a garden salad.

Not that she bothered with it, much.

"Rainbow," Sass groaned. "Dude, give it a _rest!_ "

"Uh uh!" Rainbow Dash held out her fist. "Let's go! One more time! I think I got it!"

"Can I just tell you my secrets already!?"

" _Shut up!_ Don't ruin it! I have to beat you first, dummy!"

"I'm the dummy, huh?" Sass grabbed a piece of untouched lettuce from the other girl's bowl and flung it at her friend. "This coming from the chick who insisted on playing rock, paper, scissors for the last _hour_."

"Bite me."

"Bite your _salad_ , you nut! You've barely touched it and we need to leave here soon!"

Rainbow glowered and sat back in her seat. Her knee bounced under the table, her jaw tight. She was just stalling. She didn't want to talk about what had happened earlier at Psychology. But she knew she had to. She had a Literature lecture she had to go to, and of course, an unpleasant meeting with her dad. They couldn't sit there forever. Sass had things of her own to do.

"Sass," Rainbow finally forced out. "I need to tell you something."

Sassaflash sat up at the sudden seriousness in her friend. "Yeah?"

"Hey, uh… I have some personal stuff going on. I can't put it off. I already talked to the coach, but you need to know too—I might be around a little less."

"Huh? But Rainbow, you're team captain—"

Rainbow held up her hand. "I know that. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary, but I'll need you to take point when I'm gone." She shrugged. "It'll be just for a little while. I have to drop a meeting this week, and I might be late for a practice. Do you think you can handle it?"

Sassaflash looked almost insulted by the question. "Of course!"

Rainbow smiled, though it was weary. "Awesome."

"Dashie, it's not like… _life threatening_ , is it?"

"Naw, nothing like that."

Sassaflash heaved a sigh. "Phew!" She chuckled and gave Rainbow a small kick under the table. "You ass! You scared me!"

Rainbow snickered. "D'aww, poor baby! Afraid you'd lose your sugar mama?"

Sass batted her eyes and blew a kiss. "I'll always be your bottom bitch, babe."

"Yowza!"

They managed to keep straight faces for all of a second before they burst out laughing.

The humor was cut short when Sassaflash's phone buzzed. When she checked it, the smile wiped from her lips.

Rainbow, flicking a piece of tomato with distaste, paused at the sudden change in her friend. "Sass?"

Sassaflash glanced at her before unlocking her phone. "Yeah?" she said distractedly. Her eyes clouded over as she tapped out a quick text message.

"You look like you just got some bad news."

"Oh. Yeah, this." She dropped her phone in distaste. "It's Caramel."

Rainbow's face tightened. "What'd that knucklehead do now?"

Sassaflash ran a hand through her hair, her eyes flickering to the table. "We're just having a little fight. He forgot we were supposed to have dinner last night."

"He _stiffed_ you?"

"H-he just forgot!" Sassaflash giggled and tried to smile, but it was stiff. "Caramel, right? He's so absent minded…"

Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and sneered. "Give 'im to me for a bit. We'll see how much he 'forgets' things after I'm through!"

"Rainbow, don't. He's got a condition."

"Yeah, yeah. What I don't like is how _unconcerned_ about it he is half the time. I mean, come on Sassaflash. When he missed your _birthday—?_ "

"I said stop." Sassaflash was glaring now.

Rainbow Dash tongued her cheek and held up her hands.

 _Fine. She already knows how I feel about him anyway._ Namely that she had a backhand with Caramel's name on it.

In an effort to lighten the mood again, Rainbow picked up her fork and speared a piece of lettuce from her salad. With a grimace, she took a bite out of it. Sassaflash, apparently keen to move on as well, smirked at her. Rainbow worked the lettuce in her mouth, squinting one eye at the wet crunchiness of it.

After a hard swallow, she griped, "Ugh, it's like rabbit food!"

Considering the one rabbit she was familiar with, this did not sit well with her.

Sassaflash only laughed.

 _Another outing saved from total suckdom,_ Rainbow thought sarcastically as she and the other girl prepared to leave.

* * *

Blue Note had done just as Fluttershy had feared. Step by step, she somehow found herself saddled with more and more responsibility, until the receptionist was gone entirely from the front desk. The girl didn't have the heart to say no. How could she? The hospital was short-staffed enough as it was, and nothing in Blue Note said to Fluttershy that she was doing it out of laziness. But even the small look of relief in the receptionist's eyes did nothing to assuage the girl's building stress at having to field weird and complex questions that she was technically not licensed to answer.

Fluttershy was tired, tense, and already feeling the weight of situations outside of work. In five hours she was going to have to somehow rush to meet Rainbow Dash at the Freenote Library. All attempts thus far to call and change the time, or at least explain why meeting at eight was impossible, had failed thanks to Fluttershy's debilitating self-doubt when it came to her friend.

 _What if eight is the only time she can work tonight? What if she isn't free the rest of the week, so we can't reschedule? What if she feels like I'm letting her down?_

As this pressure built up inside of her, Fluttershy's breaking point came in the form of an awkward phone conversation with a clueless dog owner:

"Hello?" said a very metropolitan male voice.

Fluttershy tried to keep the tremors out of her voice. "Y-Yes, this is Canterlot Animal Hospital. How may I— _we—_ help you?"

"You've got to tell me what to do! My dogs are tied together!"

"Pardon?"

"My dogs! They're tied together! Y'know, _stuck?_ "

Fluttershy took a moment to stare at the phone as if it could somehow elucidate what the client was talking about. "Sir, can you please describe what you're seeing in more detail?" she eventually asked.

"I have two golden retrievers," he explained impatiently, "and it's like they're attached at the butt! They've been like that for nearly twenty minutes!"

Fluttershy could feel the blush from the top of her scalp right down to her toes. Cupping the phone receiver, she spun her office chair to face the wall. She leaned on her arm rest, her hand on her forehead. She felt feverish.

"Have your dogs been spayed and neutered?" she asked.

"Uh, maybe? They were a gift from a friend. I guess I just assumed they were."

She felt a flash of frustration. _Oh for heaven's sake, it's not that hard to tell!_

"I'm very sorry for the distress you've been feeling, but you should know this is nothing to worry about," she said instead.

"Really?" the man asked.

"Mm hmm."

"But what's causing them to be stuck together? I keep pulling but—"

"Oh no, no! Don't do that, you might hurt the poor things!" There was no way around it. She had to explain. "Y-You see, your dogs were just—" She bit her lip.

 _Gosh, how do I put this? I really,_ really _don't want anyone to hear me talking about this. It's so embarrassing!_

Fluttershy leaned onto her knees and said as low as possible: "Sir, your dogs were…m-making puppies."

"What?"

"They were making puppies, sir."

"Hello? Are you still there?"

" _Puppy making!_ " she hissed a bit louder.

Her anxiety was hitting its peak. She'd been at this sort of thing for hours, the equivalent of a grueling marathon to Fluttershy's social tolerance. Worn down, and on edge about her upcoming meeting with Rainbow, this phone call was fast becoming intolerable.

"Please, _please_ just take my word for it that this is nothing to worry about!" she said next, the strain apparent in her voice.

"Ma'am, I can't hear—"

"They were just having _sex_ , sir!" she snapped into the receiver. "This isn't an emergency! They'll separate on their own once the male's penis goes flaccid!"

The moment the words left her throat, Fluttershy sat up straight and slapped a hand to her mouth.

 _Where did that come from? What have I done!?_

"Geez!" was the stunned response. "You didn't have to be so rude about it! You just lost yourself a client, _missy!_ " And the line went dead.

"Fluttershy!" Blue Note exclaimed.

She turned in her seat with a deliberate slowness to see Blue and Sandy Scarab staring at her in shock. The hospital manager was younger than the receptionist, with flinty gray eyes, and wavy brown hair. Sandy had on her beige trench coat, keys clutched in her hand on the counter. It appeared she had just returned from her bank trip.

Fluttershy's eyes welled with tears as she felt the shame and guilt punch her in the stomach.

"I-I didn't mean to say it that way! I was just embarrassed!" she whimpered.

Sandy shot Blue a scathing look. To Fluttershy she said, "I know, Fluttershy. Blue Note shouldn't have left you alone for so long. But if you're going to bother picking up the phone, you have to conduct yourself like a professional. Understand? That means no barking at clients," she smirked. "No matter how silly they are."

"Y-yes, ma'am."

"Fluttershy, you're finished with my data entry, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Sandy Scarab smiled. Fluttershy returned it nervously. She liked Sandy. She was intimidating at times, but she was fair.

"I just got through speaking with Prism down the hall," the manager said. "I think they could use your persuasive touch to help with a blood draw from a squirmy ferret. Can you please help them?"

Fluttershy nodded eagerly, jumping from her seat. "Yes, ma'am!"

As she hurried out from behind the front desk and down the hallway, she could hear Sandy address Blue Note in what the manager must have thought a quiet voice.

"Blue, I realize you're stressed, and you know I'm looking for more help, but you can't rely on someone like Fluttershy to work the front desk."

Fluttershy slowed to a stop, her eyes widening as she turned to gaze back down the hallway. Sandy and Blue's shadows stretched into view.

"She means well," Sandy went on. "But she'll just cause you trouble! Let her stick to the things she's good at—"

"You mean animal witchery?" Blue snorted.

Sandy chortled. "You said it, not me!"

"Honestly, what is it with that girl? She's bright, but she's so strange!"

"Who knows? She hasn't caused any irreparable disasters yet, but I just don't see her lasting."

Fluttershy recoiled and fled down the hallway. Her heart stung with each beat, and all she could think of was fleeing to somewhere safe. She thought of her brother. Her friends.

She thought of Rainbow Dash.

She visualized the soccer player grinning as she performed ball tricks; skateboarding across campus with her colorful hair flowing behind her; strumming her guitar on stage, her eyes closed and sweat on her brow as she lost herself in a rock song—one they had written together.

But Fluttershy still had over an hour left on her shift and she couldn't afford to retreat into her head. It was not for her co-workers' sake, but more for the animals in their care. As much as it hurt, she needed to focus and stay connected. Faced with this, she had to let go of her rainbow-streaked thoughts.

 _It's a lie anyway_ , she thought miserably. _We haven't been that close in a long time._

Denied any solace, Fluttershy spent the remainder of her work shift trying not to cry.

* * *

After lunch with Sassaflash, Rainbow Dash had her weekly Literature lecture to go to. She didn't concentrate much. Unlike Psychology, the course was far more passive. Instead, she paid more attention to her text conversation with her father.

 **R: Dad, we need 2 talk**

 **B: I'm working**

 **R: Plz. It's important**

The next message took a long time—nearly the entirety of her class. Rainbow could feel the anxiety creep into her gut.

 _Great. I've bothered him. Now he'll get on my case about it later._

She loved her father, but it was like loving a wild animal in captivity; you kept your distance and always needed to be on your guard. Rainbow didn't want to talk to Blaze, especially about bad news. The trouble was, she couldn't really see how she could get through the rest of the month without him finding out about her latest predicament. As unpleasant as it was to tell her father, it would have been worse if she had tried to keep it a secret from him. He'd make her regret it somehow.

 _Family should always be honest with one another, even if it hurts,_ she told herself. Whether she meant this with regards to herself or Blaze, Rainbow was content to leave it vague in her mind.

Her father's reply came just before the lecture ended, making her phone growl with vibrations on her desk.

 **B: My office. 5pm**

Rainbow Dash scowled at the message, resenting it for its simplicity. Was it just that her father was too old to understand the severity of his tone in his texts? Would it kill him to show a little concern? To use a smiley face, just to show she was still in his good graces?

When the class ended, she packed her things and left the lecture hall with her body coiled tight.  
Blaze refused to discuss matters of importance over the phone. Rainbow Dash wasn't stupid. She knew the reason he always wanted to meet face to face, and usually at his office, was to maximize his influence over her. She knew her father was controlling, and self-absorbed, and impatient. But even as the recollections of these facts caused the resentment to creep up her body and into her face, twisting it into a snarl that made others give her wide berth on her trek to the parking lot, she tried to remember there were reasons he was the way he was. Those same reasons were what made Blaze hardworking, ambitious, and protective of his only daughter.

She soothed her ire with some loud music in her car.

 _Not everyone's parents can be sappy like Rarity's and Twilight's. Wishing for my dad to be someone different is dumb. Tigers don't change their stripes._

The fact that Rainbow Dash kept equating Blaze to dangerous predatory beasts was not lost on her.

When she arrived at Blaze's work, she shut off her engine and sat in her car with her eyes fixed on the woodcut sign on the accent lawn. _Prism Performance Center,_ it read in large bold letters. Underneath it in smaller font the slogan could be found: _Bringing out the best in athletes!_ The building itself didn't look like much on the outside—it was large, but had the stylings of a warehouse, not some top of the line training facility. Blaze always had preferred substance to style.

When she knew she couldn't stall any longer, Rainbow Dash exited her car and entered the building. Inside she shivered at the cool air conditioning. Not wanting to spend more time there than needed, Rainbow hurried through the front lobby and rounded the corner. She hugged the wall, the weight lifting area to her left. Some of the regulars waved to her in greeting. She flashed a practiced smile, then ducked her head and ran up the stairs to her father's second floor office.

Rainbow Dash knocked on Blaze's door.

"Come in," he hollered.

Squaring her shoulders, she entered to find her father leaning against the front of his desk, his arms crossed and an irritable scowl on his chiseled face.

"Rainbow," he greeted with a short nod.

"Sup, Dad," she greeted in what she hoped was a lighthearted tone.

"All right, let's cut to the chase. What's this about?"

Rainbow Dash shifted her weight to one foot, her eyes casting down. "Remember how I told you I was gonna ask my coach to talk to my Psych professor?"

Blaze's only response was to raise his eyebrows in a, _Go on_ , gesture.

"Well, uh, he _did_. But my professor, Dr. Axon, was pretty unhappy with me cutting out on his class, so instead of letting me do some quick make-up work, he decided I had to turn in a big project at the end of the month."

Blaze betrayed nothing at this news, his face as smooth as still water, but Rainbow knew that he could change in a heartbeat.

"And what happens if you don't do this project?" he asked.

Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck and said with a grimace, "He'll kick me out of the class."

Blaze straightened. She could already see the tightness creeping into his shoulders. "Does that pencil neck even know what he's doing? If he kicks you out of the class, you lose your scholarship! That means Everfree loses its team captain at a critical time during the soccer season!"

"He knows, Dad. He just doesn't care."

The man's face twisted into an ugly scowl. "No. He can't do this to us. We've worked too hard to have some self-righteous ass ruin it over his wounded ego. I'll talk to the university dean—"

Rainbow shoved her hands into her pockets, her shoulders hunching. "Yeeeah… About that. Axon has the support of the dean and the head of the Psychology department."

Blaze stared at her. "What?"

With effort, she raised her head and looked her father in the eye. "I know you have some pull at the school Dad, but I don't think that'll work this time. These guys are serious!"

"How could the dean agree to this!?" Blaze seethed. "He _knows_ me!"

Rainbow Dash just managed to keep from rolling her eyes. _That's probably why he agreed to it!_

Blaze started to pace.

"I warned you, didn't I?" he snarled at her. "Keep fooling around and you're going to lose everything!" He ran a rough hand over his cropped hair. "I just got through paying for the renovations to the facility this month. I won't have enough to float you the rest of the year!" The man growled and kicked at one of the guest chairs in front of his desk. " _Damn_ it, Dash! If you drop out, this could _ruin_ me!"

 _Crap, he's starting to freak out!_

Rainbow Blaze in a state of heightened anxiety was almost worse than when he was in a frothing anger. When her father began to stress and worry, it almost always snowballed into a giant meltdown about whatever had gone wrong in his life. She drew herself up. She couldn't freak out if he was going to freak out. _Someone_ had to keep their head.

"Dad I'm not going to mess this up," she said with a confidence she didn't feel. "I've got a plan."

Blaze stopped to gaze at her wildly. "A plan?" he spat.

"Yeah, a _plan_." Conviction fired up her words. "Y'know—that thing you do when you have a goal in mind and you think out your steps toward it?"

Her father got in her face then, every muscle in his body tightening as he tried to loom over her. "How nice that you still have a sense of humor about things when it's _my_ money and reputation that's on the line!" He gestured at his Wall of Success. "This is what got you to where you are today—on track to go pro and living the good life. What will people say when my kid turns into a _loser?_ They'll shut this place down!" He stepped back, his eyes sweeping over her in disgust. "You have _never_ appreciated what I've done for you. All those hours and resources I've poured into making you the best, and _this_ is how you repay me? By almost losing it all?"

Rainbow steeled herself against his verbal assault. "Will you calm down? I already told you, I've got a plan! That project will get done on time, and I'm taking Everfree to the regional championships! This is just an inconvenience!"

"And does this plan of yours take into account that you've got an important game coming up, and you can't afford to split your time and energy into something as pathetic as make-up work?"

She smirked, but her eyes were dull and flat. "It does."

Blaze snorted and he put his hands on his hips. "This ought to be good."

Rainbow Dash's mind went blank.

 _Oh. Yeah. I should've known he'd want to hear what I plan on doing._

With less confidence, she stammered out, "You see, I'm best friends with the top student—"

"So?" he interjected with an impatient shrug.

" _So_ , this is a good thing, because she totally has a crush on me! Like big time!"

Blaze narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin. A sly smile appeared on his face. "You're going to get this girl to do your project for you, aren't you?"

Rainbow knew it was perverse to feel happy right at that moment, but she did.

 _My dad is smiling at me! He thinks my plan is good!_

Her spine lengthened as she mirrored his smile. "Yep." She waved a hand through the air. "I mean, this first week is gonna be hard cuz' I have to butter her up for it first, but after that? Consider that problem _handled_."

Blaze took her by the shoulders and squeezed. "That's good, Rainbow. _Really_ good. Y'know, you're a real chip off the old block, kiddo."

Kiddo. Her father only ever reserved this nickname for her when he was especially pleased with her. She seldom heard it, so to hear it in that moment… Rainbow could feel the pride almost choke her. Her chest swelled. She felt light and energized.

She felt like a good daughter.

But the moment was almost ruined when her father got real close and wagged a finger at her nose. "But you listen to me… When you told me you preferred girls, you know I didn't object. It took guts to own up to that. Just make sure that you keep your head straight with this 'friend' of yours. You're young and hormonal, and that makes you think with your crotch instead of your head. Don't go falling for her. Don't even give her the courtesy of a pity fuck. You hear me? It's a distraction. After the championships you can screw who you want, when you want, but you keep it in your pants for now, Rainbow. I _know_ you. You get sentimental. You get it from your no-good mother. So long as you remember that it's _no good_ then you'll be all right." He patted her cheek. "Got it?"

The good feelings Rainbow Dash had experienced became muddied. She was annoyed, both for the fact that her father would dare try to dictate her love life, and also for his belief that she was some emotional sap.

She brushed his hand away and took a step back. "Give me some credit, will ya? You know I don't go for that mushy crap!"

"Not just the mushy crap, Dash. You can't stick a chip in the dip and expect things to still be perfect. There's _always_ repercussions, and you should know by now that everything you do affects this family."

Rainbow glowered, a blush on her cheeks. "Geez! I won't screw her, all right!? Can we stop talking about this now? It's skeeving me out!"

Blaze chuckled and glanced at his wristwatch. He put an arm over her shoulders and started to guide her toward the door. "Well, I've got an hour of free time. How about some dinner? My treat. You can tell me about how your last team practice went."

Rainbow Dash wanted to say no. She was tired and wanted to take a nap before she met up with Fluttershy later. Plus, the meeting had gone reasonably well. Better than she had expected. Spending more time with her father would've been pushing her chances. It would have been better to end things on a good note before she tripped down some other pitfall.

Ultimately, Rainbow went along with it, because she knew Blaze wasn't really asking her.


	6. Chapter 5

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 5

Rainbow Dash ran to Freenote Library, her cell phone lighting up her face in a ghastly glow as she checked her last text messages.

 **F: We still on 4 2nite?**

 **F: Sry, jus wanted 2 check…**

 **R: Ya ;) 8**

 **F: Kk! Where r we meeting?**

 **R: 3rd floor. Use 1 of da study rooms.**

It was the only twenty-four hour library in the county. The building was lit up, but deserted, like a glowing beacon for a lonely night. It felt hollow and eerie inside, with the checkout desks empty and the typically busy computer rooms locked up and dark. There was just one security guard seated at the front with sensors at the doors in case anyone tried to take books without permission. The handful of students Rainbow spied were closed off in their own academic pursuits. They sat alone or in small groups, their eyes already showing the fatigue from their work.

 _She said to meet at eight, so you show up at nine? Smooth move, stupid. Real smooth._

The dinner with Blaze had left her especially drained. Every minute that passed was spent monitoring herself and her father. If she said this, would he get irritated? Did he think she was paying enough attention? Did he feel generous today, or would he guilt trip her for ordering something over ten bucks? It didn't help that she stuffed her face like a hog. By the time they got out it was a quarter past six and Rainbow was dead on her feet.

 _Just a quick snooze,_ she had thought. _I have almost two hours before I have to meet Fluttershy._

She'd failed to take into account that she had already slept through one alarm that day-doing so again should hardly have been a surprise, and yet...

Rainbow cursed as she skidded to a halt in front of the elevators. There were two, but only one was operable, and someone was already using it. Her heart was hammering, with her t-shirt soaked under her jean jacket. As she ran to the stairwell that led to the second floor, her mind couldn't help but play the day's previous events through her head.

All the pride and acceptance she had felt had long since worn off. It usually happened that way. When fully in the sphere of Blaze's influence, he could make almost anything sound justified and reasonable. Caught under his scrutiny, all Rainbow could think about was staying in his favor. It was when they were apart, and she felt like she had room to breathe, that the doubt and resentment crept back.

 _I can't believe I'm going through with this._

She could feel her stomach do a somersault as her throat tightened in revulsion.

 _I should turn around. I should call my dad and tell him that I've changed my mind. I can find some other way...right?_

Rainbow Dash took the stairs two at a time, reaching the second floor fast.

 _Fluttershy is my friend. That's supposed to_ mean _something._

She paused on the first step for the last flight of stairs, her eyes blinking away sweat.

 _I'm supposed to embody loyalty, right? What happens when my loyalty is split in two?_

Her hand held the railing in an iron grip as her eyes glazed. She looked up the stairs and thought of Fluttershy-sweet and kind Fluttershy, who sacrificed her free time to help others. How many times had Rainbow stuck up for her friend in high school? What about all the fun and adventures they had shared? Was she really going to just use Shy this way?

Then Blaze cut into her thoughts-

 _Damn it, Dash! If you drop out, this could ruin me!_

 _What will people say when my kid turns into a loser?_

 _You have never appreciated what I've done for you._

Rainbow Dash squeezed her eyes shut and slammed the heel of her palm into the railing as hard as she could. The sharp pain anchored her, sending the confusing thoughts crashing into the ether of her mind. Steeled against her doubts for the time being, she resumed her ascent up the stairwell.

At the third floor, she slowed to a stop in front of the elevator, her chest heaving as she scowled at her surroundings. The lights weren't on except for the landing area for the stairs and elevator.

 _Oh man! I thought the first floor was dead… The third floor is friggin' dead and_ buried _. Where the heck is Fluttershy?_

Rainbow Dash wiped at her wet brow as she looked at the elevator. It was humming. She glanced up at the elevator's top display. The light gradually stopped at the number three.

 _Is this the same person that—?_

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Rainbow gaped at who was inside.

"F-Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy gasped and rushed towards her, her hands clasped before her face as unshed tears shone in her eyes. Her hair was damp and a bit frizzy. Her clothes were wrinkled and stale, like she'd pulled them out of the bottom of a drawer. She even lacked the small amount of makeup she typically wore.

"Omigosh, Rainbow I'm so sorry!" she wheezed.

Rainbow Dash gathered herself, seeing a prime opportunity for some mischief. She crossed her arms and frowned, though her lips quivered with the desire to grin.

"You're _late?_ " she said with false indignation.

"I'm so, so, _so_ sorry!" Fluttershy panted. She took a deep breath and spoke almost too fast for Rainbow to follow:

"Earlier today I told you I'd be free at eight, only really I should've said nine, but I couldn't think straight because I was just so anxious, and then I thought, 'Well Fluttershy, you can do it!' Only I _couldn't_ because I had to stay over at work for longer than usual because a pet skunk was having diarrhea, and the only other technician available kept gagging, so she couldn't stay in the examination room, so _I_ had to stay in the room and help the vet even though I was already supposed to have clocked out, and while I was holding the skunk, he had a—well—um, _bowel movement_ , and it was really bad, the poor thing, but then that meant I had to get changed and showered, so I had to go _all_ the way back home, and when I did my brother started talking to me, and I hardly ever get to see him these days, so I had to stop for a _few_ minutes to chat, but then I realized how very, very late I was, so I asked Star Weld to drive me over, but he's not very good at navigating the university roads, so then I just told him to drop me off at the main gate, and I had to run all the way across the campus, and _THAT_ is why I'm late!"

Rainbow Dash snapped her mouth shut.

 _Holy cow, did she even take a breath anywhere in that avalanche?_

She held up her hands. "Fluttershy, I was just teasing—!"

"Oh I'm _so, so_ sorry for making you wait!" Fluttershy whimpered before ducking her head.

The athlete's eyes went wide.

 _Oh no, here comes the waterworks. Quick, Dash! Think!_

Rainbow Dash coughed nervously and patted her friend's pink head. "Uh… N-no big deal."

Fluttershy peeked at her through her curtain of hair. Tears streaked down her face.

"Really?" she sniffled.

Rainbow sighed in relief and gave a gentle smile. "Yeah. No biggie. Know why?"

Her friend wiped at her eyes and did a shrug.

Rainbow Dash snickered and threw an arm around Fluttershy's shoulders. She thumbed at herself and said with a wink. "Because I was late too."

Fluttershy looked at her in surprise. "You mean…?" She looked Rainbow up and down, as if just noticing how sweaty she was.

The athlete chuckled. "We got here at the same time!"

It took a moment for this to sink in for Fluttershy. When it did, she joined Rainbow Dash in a good, long laugh.

* * *

They turned on the lights for the third floor, which greatly helped in making it less spooky, and started to set up in the first study room. Rainbow Dash made it a point to sit at Fluttershy's right, to the degree that their chairs touched. This earned her a raised eyebrow, but no comment.

Rainbow leaned on the table with her elbows. "So was your _whole_ day that bad, or just the end of it?"

Fluttershy, who had started digging through her backpack on the floor, looked up with a start. "Um," she straightened and ran her fingers through her damp hair. "Sort of?"

"Lame! What happened?"

She could see the debate in Fluttershy's eyes.

Slowly, her friend said, "Dr. Heartclaw made me work at the front desk today."

Rainbow's face screwed up. "Uh. Yeah. Has this guy talked to you for more than a minute? Why the heck did he think that would be a good idea?"

"Right?" Fluttershy said with an eager nod. "I mean, he didn't _actually_ intend for me to speak to any of the customers, but Blue Note-the receptionist-she's been overworked lately, so she started saddling me with more of her duties."

"Couldn't you have said no?"

Fluttershy wilted, her gaze turning down. "Well, yes. But Blue Note needed help!"

Rainbow took a deep breath to calm her growing irritation. It wasn't that she thought little of Fluttershy's kindness-far from it. But it had always gotten under her skin how easily her friend allowed others to take advantage of her without so much as a complaint. She wished the girl would stick up for herself, but she wished even harder that people would stop being jerks to her.

"Okay," she said, trying to make her voice neutral. "That's like...really nice of you. And stuff." A pause. "Did something happen while Blue Note had you doing _her_ job?" She couldn't help letting some sarcasm slip in.

"I was answering phone calls a lot. It was very stressful, but not really worth repeating." Then Fluttershy stilled, her head lifting. To Rainbow Dash's surprise, her companion smiled and blushed.

"Oh," she said, glancing shyly at Rainbow from around her bangs. "There _was_ one thing."

Intrigued by this shift in demeanor, Rainbow leaned onto her armrest, toward her companion. "What?"

"It's...very embarrassing."

"But you're smiling!"

"I know, I know," Fluttershy let out a small giggle. "At the time I found it anything but amusing, but now that I think on it, it _was_ kind of funny!"

Rainbow Dash poked her in the side, making her friend squeak. "Well, out with it, Flutters!"

Fluttershy shook her head frantically. "Oh, no! I don't know if I can say it. It was silly to even bring it up."

A mischievous glint entered Rainbow's eye, and she leaned in closer. "Tell me!" she sing-songed.

"No, no, I can't!"

Rainbow pushed her chair back and stood to her feet, her smile curling evilly. "Tell meee!"

Fluttershy shrank as her companion moved to stand behind her chair. "Honestly, it isn't that interesting! It'll seem underwhelming after all this-!"

The soccer player placed her hands on the back of her friend's chair and loomed over her. Her colorful mane spilled over her shoulders as her eyes narrowed. "Fluttershy…"

"R-Rainbow?"

With as much force as she could muster without losing her grip, Rainbow Dash tilted Fluttershy's seat backward. " _Tell me!_ " she boomed in a cheesy monster voice.

The other girl squealed, her hands snapping onto her arm rests as her feet kicked a little.

Rainbow began to put the seat back up, but she couldn't help but squeeze in one last scare as she pretended to let the chair fall completely backward.

Fluttershy, flinching hard, whimpered out, "D-dogs!"

 _Finally!_ "What about dogs?" her tormentor pressed.

"Rainbow, _please_ put my seat back up!"

"Come on, the dogs!"

"Th-they were _stuck_ together! Now will you please put me back!?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled as she put Fluttershy upright again, then returned to her seat. "So the dogs were stuck together. Why?"

"That was mean!" Fluttershy said with a scandalized glare.

"Yeah, yeah. I shouldn't have done it. I'm a real jerk. Anyway, the dogs?"

The other girl crossed her arms, her lips pursing. Rainbow Dash had to fight to keep the grin from widening on her face. Fluttershy was turning into 'Mothershy', her go-to persona when she felt trespassed by those closest to her in a manner she thought exceedingly immature. The effect was somehow both amusing and impressive at the same time. The last Rainbow had seen this side of the shy girl, she and Pinkie Pie had placed a fake snake in Rarity's backpack to hilarious effect.

"I would like an apology," Fluttershy said. Though her voice was as soft and as gentle as ever, a firmness had mingled into her words that brooked no argument.

Rainbow bit her lip in an attempt to chase away her smile. Clearing her throat, she put a hand on her chest and just managed to say with a straight face, "Fluttershy, I apologize."

Her companion waited a beat before letting a small smile bloom on her lips. Rainbow readily mirrored it.

"I accept your apology," Shy said graciously.

"Great!" Rainbow clapped her hands and rubbed them together. "Now back to the dogs!"

"Oh." Fluttershy blushed and let her bangs cover her face. "They were...m-making puppies."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Making puppies?" She smirked. "Lemme get this straight. Someone called to say their dogs were 'stuck together', but they were really just _screwing?_ "

"Yes."

"And did you _actually_ tell the person they were 'making puppies'?"

Fluttershy frowned at her again, but her lips were twitching at the ends. "Well... _yes_ , but-"

Rainbow Dash snorted into laughter, her hand covering her eyes. "Oh man!"

"It's hard enough explaining the birds and the bees to someone in private, imagine doing that at a front desk where others can hear you!" Fluttershy huffed. Despite her indignant tone, she was no longer hiding behind her hair, and she even had a wry half-smile.

Rainbow shoved at her shoulder. "You're hilarious! What did the guy do when you told him?"

"But he _didn't_ hear me! I kept trying and trying." She heaved a great sigh. "Finally I just lost my patience and snapped at him. I think I hurt his feelings..." Remorse shadowed her eyes as she sobered up.

Rainbow Dash quieted. _It must have been bad if Fluttershy snapped at a stranger. She only gets like that when she feels cornered._

She nudged her shy friend with her elbow. "To heck with 'em! The guy should have gotten his dogs fixed. And anyway, you were doing someone else's job! You did your best. That's what counts, right?"

Fluttershy nodded once, the motion lacking conviction. "Right." She tugged at a lock of her hair. "What about you? How was your day?"

"Not all that much better, to be honest. Did a bunch of running around. Talked to my coach, my VC, and my dad. The deets are boring, so..." she shrugged, hoping the questions would stop there. Then an idea struck her.

"Hey," Rainbow Dash said with a big grin. "Really quick. Rock, paper, scissors?"

Fluttershy blinked. "But why?"

"Just humor me! We'll do best out of three."

Raising an eyebrow, the other girl slowly put out a fist.

Rainbow held out a fist of her own and counted, "One, two-"

"Wait!" Fluttershy interjected, her eyes wide.

"What is it?"

"Do we go _on_ three, or _after_ three?"

Rainbow Dash felt a flash of impatience. " _On_ three."

Fluttershy wrung her hands. "And we're not using dynamite right?"

"No. We're not."

"Oh good! I'm not very fond of it-"

" _Fluttershy_."

"Sorry, sorry!" Fluttershy put her fist back out.

Rainbow gently bobbed her hand as she counted. "One, two, three!"

She threw rock. Fluttershy threw paper.

"Damn!" Rainbow Dash spat. She scooted closer to the table, as if that would somehow better prepare her for the next round. "Again!"

Her companion reluctantly put her first out again. "Um. Okay?"

"One, two, _three!_ "

Rainbow showed paper. Fluttershy had scissors.

They both stared at the results for what felt like a long time.

"What a stupid game," Rainbow Dash muttered as she slouched in her chair. She cast a glare at Fluttershy. "It was dumb luck!"

"Actually," her companion said with a little smile, "Pinkie showed me a few tricks back in high school."

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow tried to feign more interest for the split ends of her hair. "And what did she tell you?"

Fluttershy jutted her lower lip as her brow wrinkled softly. Her big blue eyes batted as she looked up in thought, a low and pensive hum emitting from her throat. Rainbow did a double-take.

 _If there was an award for cuteness, Fluttershy would win, hands down._

"She said never throw rock first. That's an amateur move," Fluttershy said after a moment. She added hesitantly. "I _think_ she also said that throwing what beat you in the previous round is generally a bad idea."

Rainbow scrunched her nose. "Huh? But there's only _three_ options to choose from! I'd either have to choose the thing that I _didn't_ win with, or the thing that is most uncertain!"

Fluttershy shrugged. "It's about reading your opponent, Rainbow." The pre-vet then turned away and proceeded to pull out her things from her backpack.

Rainbow Dash roughly rapped the edge of the table with her fist, making her knuckles sting. _I don't get it! How do you 'read' someone in a game like this?_ She scowled. _I can't believe Fluttershy beat me! That's so irritating!_ She looked at her friend. Her face went blank. _Oh. She brought everything we might need tonight. Crap._

Fluttershy had brought her notes, as well as her textbook. Rainbow Dash had brought…nothing. Running out the door, late and in a panic, did tend to leave one less organized. She felt slightly less ridiculous when she was able to pull up the past psychology lectures on her smartphone.

"Did Dr. Axon give you any specific guidelines to follow?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her head. "Kind of? He said he wanted me to choose what to cover from all the past material he discussed in his lectures, and 'demonstrate a solid knowledge' for the course material."

"Is it a report?"

"Yeah, fifteen pages. Not just that, though. He also wants me to do a thirty minute presentation."

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Oh dear."

Rainbow sunk down in her seat and glowered at the tiny Axon on her phone. "My sentiments exactly."

"Can you use notecards for the presentation at least?"

"I don't think he said I _couldn't_ use them, but he also made it out like I had to be able to talk about this stuff off the top of my head instead of reading from something the whole time."

Fluttershy bit her lip and opened her textbook. "Um… Maybe we should just focus on something simpler for the moment? After you finish your report, you should feel better prepared to do the presentation."

 _Not likely._ "Sure," Rainbow said instead.

"Hmm." Fluttershy tapped her chin with a pen. After a bit, she pulled a journal toward her and started to write in neat, feminine handwriting, "How about this? Let's start with an outline. That way we can plan things from start to finish very carefully. If we have to change it later, it's fine. The point is to have a guideline so that we're not so overwhelmed."

Rainbow Dash leaned in close under the pretext to see what was being written. In reality, she wanted to whisper a comment in Fluttershy's ear. Something brief and flirty about her handwriting. Not that she was much of an expert on flirting-but she'd heard enough from Rarity to have an idea.

As she drew close to her friend, she caught the sweet smell of lavender and mint. Her eyes fluttered and she lost focus for a moment, taking another whiff.

 _Fluttershy took a shower? Oh right, she told me before in that rant of hers._

She glanced at Shy's hair.

 _Yeah. Her hair is wet. Wow, Rainbow, you will_ never _be a detective._

Fluttershy turned her head to say something, and promptly froze. Their noses were nearly touching. Rainbow Dash pulled away with a nervous giggle, which she quickly tried to amend into a cooler, more nonchalant chuckle.

"M-my bad. I just wanted to see-" she pointed with a strained grin at the journal.

Her friend frowned at her and pushed the journal over.

"Thanks," Rainbow muttered as she leaned over to inspect it—perhaps a little closer than necessary, if only to let her mane of hair fall forward to conceal the blush that was now gracing her cheeks.

 _I was supposed to do something all sexy, and instead I just come across as some kind of creepy weirdo!_

The notes Fluttershy had written were simple. They took most of the major headings from both the sections in their textbook, as well as from the lecture notes. When Rainbow Dash had gathered herself, she sat back and tapped the page.

"Hey, this is good!"

Fluttershy allowed herself a shy grin. "Twilight Sparkle showed me how to pay attention to headings in textbooks and lecture slides to identify what I should focus on before tests. She's much better at it, of course."

"Shy, don't be so modest. You're helping me out a _ton_ already!"

"We still have a lot to do, though. I just hope we can get you ready in time. I know I'm not nearly as smart as Twilight or Sunset, but I want to help you all I can!"

This was a good moment to try and flirt again. Rainbow Dash swallowed hard, almost hating Fluttershy for leaving herself open with that vulnerable statement.

 _What did Rarity always used to say…?_

The athlete's right hand twitched, as if it resisted the idea of cooperating with her diabolical plan. Rainbow shot it a glare before it obediently lifted, crossed her body, and placed itself on Fluttershy's right wrist. This forced her body to turn and lean in. It was all about shrinking that personal space.

 _Be smooth._

Rainbow Dash forced a smirk when Fluttershy's wide blue eyes snapped onto hers.

 _Be confident._

"Shy… It means a lot to me that you're here." She leaned in closer, and as she did so, she stroked the other girl's wrist with her thumb, slow and gentle.

 _Be intimate._

"I need you, okay? So don't doubt your own worth," Rainbow murmured under her breath.

The blush that came over Fluttershy was almost instantaneous. Her breathing even hitched. And for just the briefest moment, Rainbow Dash saw her friend's guard slip. What came through, in that precious second, was such an unbearably open expression of shock and desire that Rainbow's own heart sped up to see it.

 _I…have that much of an effect_ _on her?_ She thought with wonder.

* * *

Fluttershy felt a great number of things as Rainbow Dash's thumb teased the tender and sensitive skin of her inner wrist. Her wrist had been cold, so the warm touch felt intensely stimulating, making all the hairs of her arm stand up. She felt her heart rate quicken, and her body became as hot as a stove as her skin colored a rich red. Her breathing even had a noticeable hitch to it.

But what wasn't outwardly obvious was the sudden pertness of her nipples, the tension in the pit of her abdomen, or that naughty tingling between her legs.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak, but only a low squeak emerged.

Rainbow Dash's smirk widened and she took her hand away. Playfully, she batted her eyes and leaned her head on Fluttershy's shoulder. In a horrible imitation of Rarity, she said, "Now then _dearest_ , let's proceed with the heroic rescue of my tush, yes?"

She chuckled weakly at Rainbow's joke. "Yes. Let's," she mumbled.

They resumed work on the project, but Fluttershy felt a stiffness and a certain simmering frustration that she couldn't shake away.

 _Rainbow Dash isn't acting normal. Since when did she keep getting into my personal space? And why does she keep saying things like she 'needs' me? Rainbow is always telling people she doesn't need anyone! She keeps speaking in such a low voice, too. We're the only ones on the third floor, and the library staff are gone. What reason would she have to make me lean in all the time… Unless…_

 _She's_ flirting _with me?_

Fluttershy frowned at Rainbow Dash as her friend looked up a definition in the textbook's glossary.

 _Whether or not Rainbow Dash means it, the fact that she's doing it at all is bizarre! After all,_ _this is far too sudden. If she actually liked someone, would she even go about it this way? It feels like she's taking cues from one of Rarity's romance novels! Is that what she thinks I'm into? Or…_ Am _I into that? It wasn't as if I didn't feel something._

Fluttershy felt a flash of annoyance that her preferences could be so formulaic. In spite of her consternation, the frown born from this train of thought quickly morphed to an expression of anxiety, and she gave up being productive in favor of just _looking_ productive. She snuck another glance at Rainbow Dash. Her friend was now sleepily watching one of the very first Psychology lectures.

The answer was there. Fluttershy could feel it hovering outside of the sphere of her conscious, waiting for a chance to pierce in and make the truth known.

But really, she didn't _want_ to know, because she hoped that Rainbow would touch her again. And soon.

* * *

Rainbow Dash returned to her dorm building feeling more at ease. Fluttershy had laid down a lot of the groundwork needed for her project in just one meeting. Another night or two, and she was certain she could 'encourage' her shy friend to do most of the work herself. Rainbow had offered to give her friend a ride home, but Fluttershy had insisted she had something already arranged. They agreed to meet again the next night.

She hated the possibility of making Shy cry. But when she thought of her father turning his back on her… He was the only family she had left. Rainbow Dash had no idea where her mother was. Besides, it wasn't as if Fluttershy wasn't going to get something out of this. Judging by the blush on her friend's cheeks when she'd flirted with her, it had garnered a positive reaction.

The athlete couldn't help but prance a little on her way to her dorm room.

 _I wonder if Fluttershy's ever gotten this kind of attention from someone as unbearably_ awesome _as me?_

She snickered a bit as she opened her door.

 _What am I saying? Of course not!_

Inside the room, Sunset Shimmer was sitting on her bed with her laptop in front of her, completely absorbed in her work. She was barefoot and dressed in her pajamas, a lock of hair being chewed absently in her mouth.

As soon as Rainbow shut the door, Sunset jumped and spat the hair out.

"Uh, h-hey roomie!" she greeted as she hastily smoothed back the wet lock of hair with a grimace. "What's up?" She paused as she took in her friend's upbeat attitude with greater attention. "Oh! Is something actually up? I haven't seen you that smug since Everfree beat Arimaspi in the soccer championships last year!"

Rainbow Dash smirked and laid back on her bed. "Oh, nothing."

Sunset raised an eyebrow and set aside her laptop. "Dashie is being coy? Now I _have_ to know."

"Welllll…"

"Come on, spill! I've been burning out on quantum mechanics, I could seriously use with the distraction." At her roommate's mischievous grin, Sunset whined and clasped her hands together. "Puh-leeeease?"

Rainbow Dash's grin turned a little more reluctant.

 _Wait. She's expecting it to be some new girlfriend or something. Crap._

The others were aware of Rainbow's proclivities—had been since senior year of high school.

She'd had to stop Pinkie Pie from throwing her a coming out party. Fluttershy had stammered something polite and encouraging, but the news seemed to alarm her-little wonder as to why, now.

 _Now that I think about it, maybe that's when she started to…?_

Rarity had gushed about how she "loved the gays", and she was quite certain that no matter what shape Rainbow Dash's identity took—femme, butch, etc.—she could come up with "simply the _best_ outfit, darling! Just...please. Please, please, _please_ no plaid! I'm not sorry to say it has fallen out of style again." She crossed her arms and lifted her nose. "Hopefully for _good_ this time!"

Twilight Sparkle had started talking about checking out books on being a "good LGBT ally", and floated maybe even attending a lecture course or two. "Oh don't look so mortified! I just want to understand!" she huffed at a glowering Rainbow.

Applejack had shrugged and said, "What? That's supposed to be _news_ to us, sugarcube? Please! I had ya pegged freshman year of high school."

Sunset Shimmer, bless her heart, had the least complicated reaction of them all. She just smiled, put a hand on Rainbow's shoulder, and said, "It's brave to come out, Dashie. You should know though, it doesn't change a thing between us."

It was one of the main reasons Rainbow had sought to be Sunset's roommate. She took many things in stride without much fuss, simplifying matters that made the athlete feel uncomfortable. Sun was also as much athletic as she was smart, and she wasn't afraid to stick up for her friends. Rainbow knew that her roommate had grown a lot since high school. That old-soul persona sometimes made her a sound source of advice, but Rainbow Dash mostly just thought it complimented her own aura of coolness.

So with a breath, Rainbow sat up and said, "It's not what you think."

Sunset Shimmer raised an eyebrow, her look turning more serious to reflect her roommate's. "Oh?"

"Yeah, it's not… I'm not seeing someone new. Actually, today could've ended up really, really bad. But then Fluttershy helped me out big time."

"What did she do?"

"It's what she's going to _keep_ doing." Rainbow swallowed and suddenly became interested in picking lint off her jeans. "Y'know how I've been bailing on my Psych classes?"

"Yes?"

"Um." Rainbow Dash chewed her lip for a moment before muttering, "I'm kind of at risk of getting kicked from the class."

She snuck a glance at her roommate. Sunset Shimmer's eyes were wide.

"Woah," Sunset breathed. "That's… Man, Rainbow. I dunno what to say!"

Rainbow flinched and held up a hand to stave off anymore remarks. "I know, I know. But see, that's where Fluttershy comes in. Dr. Axon is giving me one last chance. I have a big project due at the end of the month, and Fluttershy is going to do—er, I mean—" She coughed and said, "Fluttershy is going to help."

One look at Sunset told her she hadn't missed the slip. Her roommate crossed her arms and her eyes had taken on a sharp edge.

"Rainbow…"

"I haven't been hanging out with Fluttershy lately," Rainbow Dash said hurriedly, "So I thought maybe I could make it up to her by spending time with her—"

"Spending time with her as a _friend_ , or just leveraging her crush on you to get her to do all the work?"

Rainbow Dash flinched and looked away.

Sunset groaned. "Rainbow Dash, you've got to be kidding!"

The athlete scowled and laid back against the bed, her arms crossing on her chest. "As if it isn't fun for her!"

"I know you've known that Fluttershy has had feelings for you. We _all_ have. I just can't understand why you'd think this is an acceptable thing to do to her! She's your _friend!_ "

"I haven't made her do anything crazy yet! I'm working right there alongside her!"

"Yeah, but until what point? When you have her wrapped around your little finger?"

Rainbow rolled to face the wall. "It's not like that. You didn't see us in that library."

"And what happened in the library that could possibly justify any of this?" Sunset asked heatedly. Judging from the location of her voice, her roommate had stood from her bed and was now standing next to Rainbow's.

Rainbow Dash bit her lip and shrugged, her eyes going foggy as she thought about the sweet scent of Fluttershy's hair, and the brief flash of desire she had revealed when Rainbow had touched her.

"It felt…good. That's all," was her guarded response.

"Good?"

"Yeah."

She heard Sunset sigh and kneel down next to her bed. Reluctantly, Rainbow rolled onto her back to look at her roommate. This had been the most the two had talked in months, and she wasn't too pleased that it was turning into 'Sunset plays counselor' time. But she couldn't deny her friend, especially when she knew on a deeper level that what was being said was true. This plan was going to blow up in her face. The problem, Rainbow felt, was that she didn't feel like she had any other options.

 _She doesn't understand. I can't let my dad down. He could lose everything because of me._

"Rainbow," Sunset began with strain evident in her voice. She stopped and took another breath. More gently, she said, "Rainbow Dash, I know that you've always been… _dodgy_ about relationships. I get it. You're busy, and emotions make you uncomfortable. But if you think you might feel something there between you and Fluttershy-" Rainbow opened her mouth to shoot this down, but Sunset held up a hand and said more quickly, "Or not! Regardless, you need to stop this before you nuke your friendship."

Sunset frowned, her eyes searching Rainbow's face. In response, Rainbow tried to make her expression as inscrutable as possible.

Her roommate screwed her mouth up at the lack of input from her tomboyish friend. The annoyance crept back into Sunset's voice as she said, "The single worst thing you can do is underestimate Fluttershy. She is _really_ smart, and out of all of us, she's probably the best at reading people. Don't think for a second you'll be able to fool her into doing what you want." She added dryly, "I mean no offense, but you aren't exactly the master of mind games."

"Then _you_ tell me what I'm supposed to do!" Rainbow snapped. The frustration was building up inside of her, and she just couldn't contain it. Sunset was an easy target. "I can't let down my dad, but I don't want to hurt Fluttershy either, so where is the right answer in all of this?"

"I can't tell you what to do, Rainbow Dash. It has to come from—" Sunset broke off, her eyes fluttering. "Hold on, did you say your _dad?_ "

Rainbow Dash tensed and rolled away from her again. "Never mind."

"No way. What did Blaze do _now?_ "

Most of their group was aware of Blaze and his antics, but none more than the former Equestrian.

Rainbow shot upright and glared. If there was _one_ thing she couldn't stand from anyone, even Sunset, it was criticism against her father.

"Watch it, Sunset. My dad may be tough, but _he_ was the one who stuck around when my _mom_ bailed like a loser!"

Sunset looked at her with pity. "Man… There are so many things wrong with that statement, I don't even know where to begin."

"Easy. Don't say a word. We were talking about my project. I didn't ask you to judge my family."

"No. We were talking about what you're trying to do to Fluttershy-"

"I'm not going to hurt her!"

"You can't promise that!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes and reclined on the bed again. "Whatever, Sunset. It's happening."

Her roommate's expression hardened. "And if I told her?"

She looked at her with a humorless smirk. "I thought you were trying to 'save' our friendship? Doing that would just end it."

Sunset stared down at her, the revulsion evident on her face. "You're more like Blaze than I thought."

Rainbow Dash felt a tension creep into her throat as she fought the urge to recoil from that stinging comment.

"I won't hurt her, Sunset," she murmured, staring up at the ceiling.

A heavy sigh. "I believe that you mean that. But the reality is that you _will_ hurt her if you go through with this." From Rainbow's peripheral vision, she could see her roommate run a hand through her hair. "I won't say anything to Shy, Rainbow… But that's only because if I intervene, you'll have lost your chance to save your friendship. I still believe you can make the right decision."

Sunset Shimmer returned to her side of the room. "But," she continued ominously. "If I catch wind that she's doing all the work, you're going to wish I'd never found out."

Rainbow Dash didn't move from where she was, her mind trying and failing to focus on a single thought. So many things were running through her head at once—old memories, imagined fears, and foggy desires—that she got lost in the sea. Before she knew it, Sunset Shimmer had turned out the light, casting the room into darkness. Rainbow didn't bother to change her clothes, or even get under the covers. She just lay there, staring, wondering how much she really hated herself, and why.


	7. Chapter 6

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 6

Fluttershy had lied. She didn't have a way of getting home. At least, not one that was pre-arranged. She supposed she could call Star Weld, but she was certain her brother was asleep. She had money for a taxi, but she wanted to reserve it for an actual emergency. This was not such an instance. Fluttershy was not afraid—she was _restless._

She would have liked to think her ability to repress her feelings was because of strength of will—but she had obviously been deluding herself. The only reason she could stifle her attraction to her friend was because of deep insecurity. If Rainbow Dash was in front of her, it was like her mind would go blank. Certainly the feelings were still _there_ , but they were buried deep under worry and fear. Fluttershy had always needed a certain measure of distance to be able to fully appreciate her friend, even within the safety of her own mind.

But for some reason, as their session in the library had shown, Rainbow seemed determined to push her out of her comfort zone. Quite a coincidence that this started the same day her friend learned she had a life-determining project due at the end of the month. Even more coincidence when you added her discovery that Fluttershy was doing the best in the class.

Willfully, the girl refused to put the pieces together, turning away from the reality that was otherwise staring her in the face. She focused instead on hurrying down to the forest. There, she could find the solitude she so greatly desired in that moment.

The campus never did fully go quiet or dark. There was always someone sitting out on a bench, laying out in the grassy areas, or even just walking (or stumbling) back to their dorms. Fluttershy kept her head down, though it wasn't necessary. As the hour matured further, friendliness seemed to shrink. Anyone out at this time of night was too deep in whatever personal business they had going on in that moment. That suited the shy girl just fine. She wasn't even sure she could manage to maintain a modicum of politeness should she be forced to interact with anyone.

Her concerns were for naught. Whether by luck or the favor of some unknown deity, Fluttershy found herself at Everfree Forest's primary trailhead without encountering a single security patrol. The forest was mostly unrestricted, except at night, when heavy yellow chains with signs that said, _Trails Closed,_ were strung between wooden posts in an attempt to ward off any night hikers. It wasn't typical that Fluttershy would ignore a clear boundary, but she was feeling audacious in a way she didn't often feel.

Piercing into the dark of the woods, the girl hurried along the shadowed trails with just the light of her cell phone, not really caring where she went so long as she thought she could find a good spot. It didn't take nearly as much time as she thought it would to locate a small grassy clearing. Fluttershy slipped her backpack off her shoulders, a sigh of relief escaping her. She found a nice soft patch of ground, and lay back on the grass.

Up above, the stars winked as an airplane crawled across the night sky, lights blinking. Moonlight shone from behind a misty cloud. The summer night was tepid, making the breeze a gentle caress down the length of her taut body. Somewhere, a dove cooed softly. Its call seemed filled with longing. The girl could relate. There were many things that Fluttershy wanted.

She wanted to make her brother proud. She wanted to see her old friends more often. She wanted to find a meaningful career. She wanted to feel like she could be independent.

She wanted Rainbow Dash.

For some of these desires, the motivations were clear and understandable. For others, she found it harder to put into words. It was true that her college studies had brought her into contact with nice people with similar interests, but her high school friends were still valued above them, despite more than a year of growing apart. Why did she insist on neglecting the present to look over her shoulder at the past? Was she stuck in her memories? There was certainly nothing that could take away the bond they had created over their shared experiences, but it was normal to move on from such things. Instead, Fluttershy felt as though she were held hostage by them.

Meanwhile, everyone else was changing more and more with time.

Applejack was so much more serious now that she and her brother were practically running their family's farm. Her smiles were reserved, and her eyes never quite seemed to meet anyone else's-like she was ashamed of something. Sunset put on a brave face for everyone, but Fluttershy was certain the former Equestrian was homesick. Why she didn't return to her homeland, she never seemed willing to explain. Twilight was making great strides in her scientific work, but she was rarely satisfied. Her efforts in studying the limits of the universe was almost manic.

Fluttershy had brought up a concern with Sunset during their first year of college that their friend might be suffering a kind of relapse to her darker self, but Sun had just smiled sadly and said, "Twi is only trying to help me. I'll try to tell her to take it easy, though." When pressed for more details, Sunset kept mum.

Fluttershy thought next of Rarity. Out of the group, they had been closest, but time and school had done the same to their friendship as everyone else's. Speaking with Rare required a special energy that had once only been needed for Pinkie Pie. The fashionista was consumed with her work, and usually operated on little sleep and a lot of caffeine, making her mercurial and even more dramatic than high school. On the other hand, Pinkie was really the only one who seemed the least affected by college life on the surface, and yet Fluttershy could feel an emotional distance when speaking to her, as if the energetic girl was keeping her and everyone else at arm's length.

And Rainbow Dash? The star athlete had become more entrenched in her facade, determined to make everyone at campus believe she was awesome and unstoppable. It bothered Fluttershy, because she knew there was more to Rainbow than her massive ego. She had no problem with her friend's bravado-in fact, she loved it much of the time-but by Rainbow denying those aspects of herself that didn't fit into her projected image…she was incomplete, turned almost into a caricature.

 _Did she seem like a caricature at the library too?_ Fluttershy wondered.

Her mind's eye became filled with the sight of Rainbow hovering over her, her multicolored hair curtaining around her grinning face as she held Fluttershy up from the floor by the back of her chair.

 _Different,_ the girl decided with a blush. _She felt different._

The clearing whispered as the breeze played with the trees and the grass. A cricket sang somewhere over her head.

 _I want to live in the woods,_ she thought sleepily as she rolled onto her side and curled up. _It'd be lovely if every night could be like this._

Fluttershy had once been afraid of the forest. But the more familiar she became with the trails and the wildlife, the less anxious she had felt. It was true that she rarely entered the forest at night, but she always enjoyed it when she did. It was quiet, but exciting, and very beautiful. She had sprinkled throughout the woods various small caches filled with water and well-concealed snacks.

 _I should make a cache here. This spot is very nice._

Her thoughts were interrupted as a bat came bursting from the shadows, squeaking as it fluttered overhead. She gazed at the surprise visitor sidelong, fascinated by its strange flight paths. Was it after some prey she couldn't see?

When she could hear it speak, she didn't feel all that surprised.

 _What if Rainbow Dash's interest in you was real?_ it whispered. _She'd just need time to see that, wouldn't she?_ The bat landed just behind her shoulder, stirring her hair as its claws clung to her. A small shiver went down her spine. _What if all you had to do was make sure your time together lasted?_

 _What do you mean?_ She returned with a nervous bite of her lip. _You want me to…_ pretend _to help her?_

 _Oh no!_ The bat chortled, fangs peeking from under its pale lips as it pulled itself up to better peer into her face. The nostrils on its puggish snout flared. _You'd_ help _her, of course. But she_ did _say this project was due at the end of the month, did she not?_

 _Well, yes…_

The bat smiled, its eyes glowing red. _Then I'm not sure I see the problem of a bit of mutual gratification._ That's about when it reared its ugly head back and bit down on her neck.

When she opened her eyes, Fluttershy was not curled up and on her side. She was still on her back. She wiped at her brow with the back of her wrist, and found she was covered in a sheen of cold sweat.

 _Just a dream,_ she thought with a little sigh.

Fluttershy shot upright, her eyes bugging. "I fell asleep!?"

She needed to get home, and _fast._ Star Weld didn't like it when she failed to text him about being late. He said it was because he wanted her to focus on her schoolwork, not fool around, but she knew better: her brother was just afraid of losing her to some kind of accident. Their parents had passed during a nighttime errand. It had left her brother with an infinite mistrust of the world after sundown.

 _I really have no other alternative now_ , she thought with fresh anxiety. _I have to pony-up and fly!_

Fortunately, the forest offered her perfect cover to do just that. If she flew low and stuck to the less active parts of the city, she could land relatively close to her home and run the remainder of the way.

For Shy and her friends, the mastery of their Equestrian magic had come after much experimentation and study, all headed by Sunset Shimmer. Eventually they had found a way to stop the unintentional pony-ups, and bring more control to their abilities.

 _But_ , Sunset had warned, _Your powers will_ always _be tied to your defining virtues. So if you want to call on the magic, you have to embody that virtue, and feel the spirit of friendship in your heart._

Easier said than done. It had taken months of practice. With time and work, they were able to call on their abilities at will by finding that defining trait within themselves, usually via a memory, and reliving it somehow. This process was different for each of them.

Rarity's process was very sensory-based. She needed an item—something for her to see and touch to help inspire her sense of generosity. Twilight and Sunset were capable of transforming purely through mental visualization. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were the most somatic, needing some kind of physical movement, like a pose or action. Applejack was verbal, like Fluttershy—they best conjured up their power through their voices. This had upset Shy at first, because the idea of having to speak made her self-conscious, but she quickly learned that she didn't need to speak at full volume for it to work.

Fluttershy stood and took off her top. With a nervous shiver, she folded the item and placed it in her backpack. She had to remove her shirt, or her wings would rip through the fabric. _I think I'll take Rarity up on her offer to make me some wing-friendly clothes next time I see her,_ she thought ruefully.

But now was not the time to be fussing over her wardrobe. Fluttershy needed to get up in the air.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus. She thought of the time she had first met human Twilight Sparkle during the Friendship Games. After finding common ground in their animal smuggling, she congratulated her future friend on winning a round in the competition. After a short conversation, Twilight had asked why Fluttershy was being so nice to her.

"You looked like you needed it," she whispered with a little smile.

The change took hold immediately. Fluttershy tilted her head back and felt the power course through her, the energy warm and electrifying as it coursed down her limbs in a hot wave emanating from her chest. The magic hummed a sweet and pleasant note, carrying her gently off the ground as her transformation commenced. She could feel her wings erupting from her back, and she let out a little groan of pleasure as they unfurled to their fullest extent. Her hair felt heavier from the long ponytail that had grown. On the sides of the top of her head wiggled pony ears, her human pair gone.

Her back flexed as she spread her wings wide and started to flap them, sending flurries of dust and leaves kicking up into the air.

With one last look around the clearing, Fluttershy covered her chest with her backpack, and took to the sky.

* * *

She flew as low and as fast as she could—nothing like Rainbow Dash could manage, but she was spurred by her fears of getting caught. When she came to the edges of her neighborhood, she touched down in an alley behind a closed bookstore and hastily put her shirt back on. This part of town was upscale and fairly safe, so she felt no fear beyond making her brother upset. Fluttershy had to run three blocks, and that was even after cutting through a yard or two. When she finally arrived home, it was past one in the morning, and Star Weld was asleep on the couch with his head tilted back and his mouth open. He had showered, judging by his damp blue hair and clean pajamas, and yet his hands still showed the stubborn stains of engine grease at the fingertips. The television lit up his haggard face with pale shifting colors. No doubt he'd stayed up to watch one of those horrible ultra-violent action movies he so enjoyed.

Angel Bunny was laying next to Star, his large dark eyes lidded and his long ears limp at either side of his little head. He perked up as she came through the door, and she hastily put a finger to her lips. Angel bounded from the couch and hurried to her. She stooped to catch him in her hands and gave him a gentle hug.

"Hello Angel. I'm very sorry I came so late," she whispered. Her brow wrinkled as she approached her brother. "Was he very upset?"

Angel looked at her and shook his head.

"Oh! He must have fallen asleep early. That would explain why he didn't try to call…" She nuzzled her pet. "And you kept him company this entire time, didn't you? What a good little bunny!"

The rabbit squirmed in her embrace, growling. She batted her eyes before her cheeks colored in a blush. "Goodness! Of course, you must be _starving_. Here, let me get you something."

Fifteen minutes later, Angel was fed, and Fluttershy had changed clothes. Star Weld was still asleep on the couch. She approached him, trying to quell her guilt. She didn't want to lie to her brother, but she also didn't want to cause him any more stress if she could avoid it.

She sat on the couch and gently shook Star's shoulder. When he didn't immediately wake, she tried again, harder. This time, the man jerked awake, his eyes red and unfocused.

"Huh, wh-who—?" He stared around wildly, his bangs flopping into his eyes.

"Star Weld," Fluttershy said, soft but firm. "Star, it's me."

He stared at her, his face showing he was still partially in his dreams.

She touched a hand to his cheek. "Star?"

Star Weld let out a rough exhale, comprehension finally settling onto his features. "Flutters. Hey," he murmured. He scowled and squinted his eyes at the television, which was now showing infomercials at low volume. "I was watching a movie."

"I thought so."

"What time is it? What time did you get home?"

She fought to keep her face neutral as she lied. "I've been home for a while now."

"Really?" He scratched his head and dug his phone from his pocket. "I was waiting for you to call me in case you needed a ride. Did you text?"

She winced. "R-Rainbow drove me home. And no, I didn't text."

Star Weld scowled at her. "You should've texted me!" He unlocked his phone and glanced at the display. "Cripes, it's half past one! Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

"I-I lost track of time after getting home! I know you hate it when I chase you off the couch just for being drowsy, so I went to my room and was studying on my bed. I, um…fell asleep. When I got up to feed Angel, I saw you were still here." Fluttershy lowered her gaze as the guilt squeezed her chest. "Please don't be mad at me, Star. I just didn't want to bother you…"

He sighed and ruffled her hair. "You never bother me, Fluttershy."

She frowned at her lap. _That's not true._

"I guess we've both been pretty exhausted. I can't hold it against you." Star groaned as he stretched his arms over his head. He slumped back with a satisfied sigh. "Heck, I'm just glad you got home all right!"

"You should rest, Star."

He nodded distractedly, his hands kneading the back of his neck. "Yeah." He frowned. "Fluttershy, I dreamed of it again."

She sighed inwardly. "You mean the car?"

He scrubbed at his eyes with his fingers. "I swear, it feels like I was close to fixing it this time…"

Fluttershy put her head on his shoulder. It felt hard and tight under her cheek. "It was just a dream."

"I wish it would change. I wish I could figure out what went _wrong_ -"

"Our parents would still be dead, and it still wouldn't be your fault," she whispered.

Silence.

Star Weld stood, displacing his sister. "It's late. I'm going to bed," he mumbled.

Fluttershy forced a smile. "Okay. Goodnight, Big Brother."

He paused on his way past to look down at her. "Hey, Sis. I…I want you to know that you're the single most important thing in the world to me. I know you're doing this extra thing to help Rainbow Dash out, but just don't let yourself get carried away, all right? You have your own things to worry about. You matter too, Shy."

Her smile turned more brittle as Star walked away. When she heard his door shut, she let go of the breath she had been holding.

With this latest obstacle overcome, Fluttershy could feel the weariness creep in. She knew she needed to rest, but there was one thing she very much wanted to do. Returning to her room, she grabbed a small silver key from her dresser and put on her sneakers. She went down the hall and out the back door to the rear yard. There, against the fence and under the shade of a jasmine tree, was a small garden storage her parents had built for her on her twelfth birthday.

She unlocked the padlock and opened the slim wooden door. Using her phone's flashlight, she searched the cramped space. To her annoyance, she realized that it had been disturbed. Auto parts were on the small shelves, and her garden tools had been moved aside for unmarked cardboard boxes.

"Star Weld!" she hissed with an indignant glance over her shoulder. "I thought I asked him to stay out of my shed! He already has an entire room in the house for storing things!" She crossed her arms and scowled. "I mean, I _suppose_ it's true that I haven't been gardening as much since I started college, but that's no excuse for invading my personal space!"

She continued grumbling, even as she grabbed her shovel from the tool rack and shut the door.

Moving to the other side of the little yard, Fluttershy cast her phone's light around what had once been a thriving flower bed. She froze when the spotlight caught a small green flag poking out of the dirt. All thoughts of Star's latest trespass fled her mind as she jammed the blade of the shovel into the earth near the flag. Her heart sped up as she dug.

 _It's here. It has to be here—!_

On her third strike with the shovel, she felt the blade hit something. Casting the tool aside, Fluttershy dropped to her knees and began to dig with her hands. At her side, Angel Bunny appeared. A flap in the door allowed him to come in and out as he pleased, so she wasn't surprised to see him outside. He hopped right into the medium-sized hole she'd dug, his ears pinned back as he gazed up at her, one hind foot tapping.

She paused, dismayed, for she had just felt her fingers catch on the edge of a metal box.

"Oh Angel," she breathed anxiously. "I know I said I'd leave it buried, but things have _changed_."

Judging by the way the bunny's eyes narrowed, he was unmoved.

Fluttershy sat back onto her shoes, her dirt-covered hands wringing. "You've got to understand. I think I have a chance now!"

Angel's head cocked to the side, one ear raising.

"I'll be helping Rainbow Dash with a project! And… And—" she dropped her voice, "She's _flirting_ with me!"

A squeak. Both ears were raised now.

"That is, she's _sort_ of flirting with me. But that's still something!"

Angel snorted, his ears pinning down again.

Fluttershy glared at him. "Oh, enough! Be a good little bunny and shoo!" With quick hands, she picked the little animal up, ignoring his squeals of protest, and plopped him to the side. Before Angel could sit on her prize again, Fluttershy dug out the metal box she had been seeking. It was black and rectangular, just a bit smaller than a shoe box. Brushing some of the dirt away, the girl hugged it to her chest and hurried back inside with her pet close behind.

She retreated to her bedroom and shut the door. Taking a small gray key from her dresser, Fluttershy turned on her bedside lamp and sat on her bed. There she unlocked the box. She paused to take a breath before she carefully lifted the lid.

Inside were photos and folded papers. All the photos were of Rainbow Dash—some featuring just her, others cropped like they'd been cut out of other pictures. Fluttershy let a little sigh escape her as she picked out one picture of her friend with a surfboard at the beach, her wiry body tanned, her colorful hair flying with the wind as she smirked at the camera and made a peace sign. Another picture showed Rainbow staring blankly at the camera as the light of the setting sun flared behind her. She was sitting in tall grass, pulling petals off a daisy.

 _The one good candid shot I was able to get of Rainbow,_ Fluttershy thought with a smile. _We were at Applejack's farm, and she was sleepy from hard cider._

Fluttershy's eyes softened as she traced Rainbow's face in the picture. She had resolved to never look at these things again. They were the hot embers of her feelings, and she had feared that stoking them would lead to trouble and heartache. She had thought—had _hoped_ —that time would stifle the heat of her desires. But as Fluttershy gazed on the collected artifacts of her crush, she could see now that this had been a worthless plan. Her feelings could not be wished or willed away. She had to confront them, one way or another.

 _And now I have a chance to do something about it…_ she thought with a nervous grin.

As she sifted through the contents of the little black box, she gasped when she uncovered a necklace. With trembling fingers, Fluttershy took hold of the slim silver chain and lifted it up. The small pendant was of a cloud with a wide, rainbow-streaked lightning bolt shooting from it. It glittered as she held it up in the lamplight.

 _Her birthday gift to me from senior year…_

Fluttershy's eyes burned as she slipped the necklace over her head. She examined it for a moment longer before returning her attention to the box.

Grabbing a piece of paper from it, she unfolded it and strained to read the handwriting in the soft light of her bedside lamp.

 _Stand up little you_  
 _Pick up little me_  
 _Smile and show them_  
 _What friendship really means_

Fluttershy's heart wrenched. This was the last song she and Rainbow Dash had worked on together before their band had taken its indefinite hiatus. The first verses had been written in Rainbow's characteristically large, sloppy handwriting. Next to these, with a dramatic arrow, she added a note on the side.

 _I can't think of a refrain! Got any ideas, Shy?_

Under, in much smaller and neater handwriting, Fluttershy had responded:

 _I can try!_

This was how much of their collaboration had gone after the Battle of the Bands in their junior year of high school. One would write something, then pass it on to the other between classes. They had come up with several songs that the Sonic Rainbooms had gone on to perform, but this last one, left untitled, had never even made it to a practice session.

Under the first four verses of the song, Fluttershy had written:

 _Cuz we can shine like diamonds_  
 _Be strong like diamonds_  
 _We can shine like diamonds_  
 _And be strong_

Rainbow Dash responded with another arrow.

 _Liking it! But I think it needs a twenty percent boost of coolness. Check this out—_

She crossed out ' _Be strong like diamonds'_ and replaced it with ' _We can cut like diamonds'_.

Fluttershy rolled her eyes. When she read her old response, she nodded her agreement without thinking.

 _But Rainbow_ , she had written. _That's so very…_ aggressive _, don't you think?_

 _We're seniors now, Shy. We have to step it up! Our lyrics need more_ oomph _if we're gonna stand out._

 _Why does_ oomph _have to mean alluding to hurting other people?_

 _Because sometimes people hurt each other instead of breaking into happy dance numbers. Duh!_

Fluttershy's eyes darkened. Senior year had also been the year of Rainbow's first real relationship with another girl. At the time, no one could quite figure out what was having the ordinarily exuberant Rainbow Dash so moody and mercurial, but the truth had been revealed later, when she had come out to the group that she preferred the same sex. The revelation of her stormy first love had put everything into perspective, particularly for Fluttershy, who had started to see a shift in her friend's creativity. And who was her friend's dark muse that year?

Lightning Dust.

The relationship had started through a rivalry, of all things, as Lightning had been a student at Crystal Prep at the time. Twilight disliked her, citing her as one of the students that had picked on her the most. In the brief run-ins Fluttershy had with Rainbow's ex in town, she could confirm without a doubt that Lightning Dust had a nasty streak through her. The way Twilight told it, she was arrogant, selfish, and controlling. This just made Fluttershy question why in the world Rainbow had dated her.

She never did get that answer. But as she stared at the song, which she had so unwittingly helped with, she couldn't help but wonder what Rainbow was really trying to convey—and to whom.

 _I feel the magic in you_  
 _Come touch the magic in me_  
 _Let it go, let it come_  
 _Share it with everyone_  
 _Cuz we can shine like diamonds_  
 _We can cut like diamonds_  
 _We can shine like diamonds_  
 _We can cut_

 _I dream of you_  
 _Please wake to me_  
 _Don't leave me alone_  
 _In this sleepless sea_  
 _Cuz we can shine like diamonds_  
 _We can cut like diamonds_  
 _We can shine like diamonds_  
 _We can cut_

 _We're somewhere in the rough_  
 _Yeah, yeah_  
 _We're somewhere hanging tough_  
 _We're diamonds in the fluff_  
 _Yeah, yeah_  
 _Cuz we're hard, and shine, and cut_

Fluttershy dropped the paper back into the box, her face tensed as a swell of feelings surged through her, salty and cold. Her chest tightened, shortening her breath. Her nostrils flared as her heart beat hard against her ribcage.

 _Am I enough for Rainbow?_ She wondered with a bite of her lip. _Would it ever work between us? Maybe I'm just kidding myself._

Then she remembered the bat in the forest. Her neck tingled where it had bitten her in the dream. Her mouth set in a firm line.

Standing, she went to her backpack on her desk and pulled out her journal and pen. Returning to sit on her bed, she began to write the first verses of a song. Fluttershy didn't stop until the early morning light had brought the familiar shadows back to her home, and the exhaustion dragged her down to a fitful sleep.


	8. Chapter 7

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 7

Rainbow was glad to be out of her English lecture, a yawn escaping from her in a loud and expressive burst as she exited the Liberal Arts building. Her mind was fuzzy. She hadn't rested well, which was unusual for her. Very seldom did she have trouble falling asleep. But there were dark circles under her eyes and she could feel the weight of her limbs more keenly than she thought normal.

 _Stupid Sunset,_ she thought irritably.

A classmate from her lecture waved cheerily as they passed. She had white hair and reddish eyes. Fleetfoot, maybe. Rainbow only just managed to hitch up a smile and wave back before the storm cloud reasserted itself over her head.

 _At least I have time to kill till practice this afternoon._

She sighed and rode her penny board to the quad. Once there, she found a peaceful spot out on the grass, laid down, and with her backpack as a pillow, used her arm to cover her eyes from the sun.

Rainbow Dash had just started to fall asleep when her phone buzzed in her front jeans pocket.  
Scowling, the girl sat up and drowsily pulled the device out. She groaned when she saw what the notification had been about.

A text. From Sunset.

 **SSh: R u 2 meeting again 2nite?**

Rainbow tongued her cheek as she tapped out a reply:

 **R: Duh.**

The response was quick. Rainbow didn't even get a chance to lie down again.

 **SSh: Then plz remember how u would feel if sum1 took advantage of ur feelings**

Rainbow Dash could feel herself turning red to the point that her ears burned. Angrily she mashed her phone screen with teeth bared—

 **R: Sure thing, Mom.**

Then she turned off her text notifications and threw the phone into her backpack. As she resettled, she could hear someone walking toward her. Given her out of the way spot and how close they were coming, she knew it was intentional.

"Oh give me a break!" she snarled, sitting up. "Can't you see I'm tryin' to—" she stopped short, her eyes widening. "Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy was already backpedaling away from her with eyes cast down. "S-Sorry. It's just, I don't normally see you on my way to class, so I thought I'd say hi."

Rainbow Dash jumped to her feet, her hands hastily trying to shake the grass and dirt from her hair and clothes. "No, hey, don't go! _I_ should be the one to apologize." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I guess I'm just grumpy because I didn't get much sleep last night."

Her shy friend grinned. "You too, huh?"

Rainbow blinked at this, but when she looked at Fluttershy again, she could see the girl's eyes were also lined and shadowed.

"Man, really? What kept _you_ up?" she asked.

Fluttershy bit her lip and shrugged. "I was working on something important."

 _My project maybe?_ "What was it?" Rainbow asked instead.

She received a playful grin. "You'll see."

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow but smirked.

"And you?" Fluttershy asked with a tilt of her head. "What kept you awake?"

"Oh, y'know. Soccer stuff." Rainbow tapped her temple. "A winner never turns it off!"

"Sounds unhealthy," Fluttershy remarked with a gentle frown.

Rainbow just shrugged. "So what class have you got next?"

"My chemistry lab."

"Can I walk with you?"

The question seemed to surprise her friend. Shy blushed and toyed with a lock of her hair. "Sure!"

The soccer player grinned and stooped down to grab her backpack and penny board. "Sweet! Let's go."

Side by side, they returned to the broad concrete pathway that criss-crossed the quad. Rainbow Dash shouldered her backpack and held her penny board against her hip. Fluttershy clasped her hands in front of her, eyes focused forward. They walked in silence for a time.

"Do you work today?" Rainbow asked just as they took the first left turn leading out of the quad.

Shy glanced at her. "No. Not today."

"Wanna come to my soccer practice?"

Fluttershy locked eyes with Rainbow and raised an eyebrow, the corners of her lips twitching. "Not particularly, no."

Rainbow frowned, taken aback. "Why not?"

"Rainbow, I _know_ you're a terrific soccer player. I don't need to see you showing this off to me when I could be studying instead."

"Hold on." The athlete held up a finger, her frown deepening. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I just heard you say that you think I'm _so amazing_ , you'd actually get bored."

"Yes," Fluttershy said with a little nod. Her lips were starting to curve upwards, but still failed to reach the degree of an actual smile.

"You think this dog hasn't got any new tricks?"

"I'm sorry, did you just refer to yourself as a dog?"

Rainbow Dash snickered at the riposte. She nudged Fluttershy and asked with a jaunty half-grin, "What would I have to do to get you interested in my glory again?"

The smile that had only been a concept became fully realized on her friend's lips. "Rainbow, the burden of awesomeness does not rest with me. It rests with _you_."

"Oh ho!" Rainbow raised both eyebrows and rolled her shoulders. "Okay. You're on! Come to my soccer practice today, and I'll promise to treat you to something special."

"I don't know…"

"Aw, come on!" Rainbow bumped shoulders with her companion. " _Please?_ "

She knew she had succeeded when her friend blushed. "All right. If it means so much to you, I'll go."

Rainbow Dash whooped with genuine happiness, and pumped a fist in the air. "Heck yeah!"

"Gosh!" Fluttershy exclaimed with a small giggle. "If I'd known it would have brought you that much joy, I would have come to a practice ages ago!"

"Are you kidding? I love having an audience!"

"Ah. Of course."

Rainbow let a swagger creep into her gait. "You can thank me after your lab is through."

Her friend looked at her blankly. "What would I thank you for?"

"Duh! For giving you something to look forward to after your boring class!"

"Oh, but I like my chemistry lab!"

Rainbow quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"

Fluttershy smiled pleasantly. "Yes! I like my teacher. Professor Zecora has a great sense of humor, and she's very patient."

Rainbow Dash nodded, feeling a flare of envy that surprised her. She couldn't talk that way about her own classes. She had never been crazy for academics, but she could still remember once feeling in high school a kind of _pride_ whenever she succeeded at her work. Some of the teachers had even been nice to get to know. Ms. Cheerilee, for instance.

"Must be nice to enjoy your classes," Rainbow said with a muted smile.

They were now approaching the Chemistry Building, the tall brick structure casting a cool shadow over them. A few students loitered on the steps leading up to the double glass doors.

"Yes, it can be fun," Fluttershy said. She fanned her eyelashes and let her bangs fall forward a little as she tucked in her chin. "Though, they _are_ missing something."

"What?"

"The same thing I've been missing in Psychology," she said, just loud enough for her companion to catch.

Rainbow Dash stared.

 _Did she just…_ flirt _with me?_

They came to the steps and Fluttershy hurried forward. Rainbow stopped to watch her go, her expression blank as she tried to work up something worthwhile to say. She felt her chance slip away when her friend turned at the top of the steps and give her a shy wave.

"I'll see you at practice," Fluttershy said with a little grin. "What time was it, again?"

"Six," Rainbow Dash said. For some reason, she could feel her ears burning.

"Okay. I'll see you then." Shy paused and tilted her head, making her pink hair spill over her shoulder. Rainbow felt arrested by the sincere concern burning in her friend's big blue eyes. "Get some rest, okay? For me?"

"S-sure." She started to backpedal, but felt herself bump into another student. After an apologetic nod at the stranger, she said to her friend, "See ya!" Her voice cracked.

Rainbow turned as Fluttershy entered the building, a horrified look on her face.

 _Note to self: Act less like a dork next time._

* * *

Fluttershy arrived at the soccer field at exactly six o' clock. She had spent most of the afternoon at Freenote Library studying, and was actually quite glad for the break. The evening air was cool and pleasant. There was a few other people there in the stands; an older woman with a scarf wrapped around the lower half of her face; two giggling girls that looked far too young for college; and a young man with green hair who kept bouncing his knees as he sat hunched in a dark windbreaker. Fluttershy sat apart from them in the upper seats, and no one paid her any attention. She touched the place where, concealed under her sweater, Rainbow's pendant rested, and smiled to herself.

When the soccer players emerged from the locker rooms onto the field, it was without much fanfare. Some carried the equipment they would be using for that session; nets of soccer balls, neon cones, and ice coolers. Others were horsing around and laughing. Their uniforms were of the school's colors: green and blue. Fluttershy could spot Rainbow Dash easily thanks to her friend's colorful hair. She came out last and appeared in deep conversation with the team's coach, as well as someone who looked to be the assistant coach. They nodded heads as they reached some kind of understanding, and she jogged out to join her teammates, who were forming a circle close to the stands. On her way there, Fluttershy could see the soccer player scan the stands. She waved, and Rainbow spotted her, waving enthusiastically with a huge smile before joining her fellow soccer players.

The team took time to do stretches and warm up before hydrating and splitting up.

It was in this moment that Rainbow Dash ran toward the stands. The stands were elevated on a concrete foundation a little over seven feet, but the girl did a vertical wall run and grabbed the ledge, pulling herself up as if it were the easiest thing in the world. She stood on the edge and leaned against the rail, a cocky grin on her face.

"Fluttershy!" she called. "Hey, come over here a sec!"

Fluttershy blushed and hunched her shoulders as she felt the other people on the stands look her way. Standing, she hurried down the steps to meet her boisterous friend.

"You came!" Rainbow said as she neared.

"I told you I would," Fluttershy said, much quieter.

"I figured today would be a good day for you. We don't have as many people come watch since it's early in the week. On Sundays lots of family and friends show up. It gets crazy."

"That sounds nice, actually!"

Rainbow Dash shrugged, looking down. "Yeah. You're the first person besides my dad to come, though."

Fluttershy gasped. "You mean none of the other girls have—" She broke off when her companion did a small headshake. "N-not even Pinkie Pie? She always used to love seeing you play!"

Rainbow shrugged. "Nope."

"Gosh, Rainbow. I… I guess I always just assumed you had someone to come cheer for you."

"I mean look, I'm not complaining," her friend said evasively. "The team is like family. We really look out for each other. Besides, I mentioned my dad comes out. Y'know, when he can, and stuff."

Fluttershy frowned. It was true that her friend could get by for a long time on the steam of her own ego, but she still wanted to feel supported like any other person would. It wasn't enough that her high school friends showed up for big games. She needed to feel like someone believed in her.

"I'll come," Fluttershy said firmly.

Rainbow blinked at her. "Huh?"

"I'll come. This Sunday."

"But… Flutters, I just told you. That's the day it's the craziest. _Everyone_ comes out to cheer for the team on Sunday! Besides, don't you work that afternoon?"

Fluttershy took a deep breath to quell the anxiety that threatened to tense up her throat at the thought of work. "I'll figure it out. I'm still going to be there, cheering for you, Rainbow." She bit her lip, her eyes lowering. "I-I mean… If you're okay with it."

When her friend's silence stretched on, Fluttershy dared to peek up. Rainbow Dash was blushing hard, her hand rubbing the back of her neck as she gripped the railing with her other hand and leaned back.

"Uh. Yeah. That'd be cool. Sure," she said.

Fluttershy smiled, feeling her heart beat hard in her chest. "I look forward to it!"

Rainbow grinned. "Me too." She thumbed over her shoulder. "Hey, I gotta get back, but just stay down here for a while. I promised to show you something special, and you'll see it best from here!"

"All right!"

"Awesome. Mind stepping back for a sec?"

"Um, okay?"

Fluttershy stepped away from the railing. Rainbow Dash winked as she gripped the top rail with both hands. Then in a quick movement, she jumped, planted both feet on the second rail, and backflipped off. Shy gasped, her heart leaping into her throat as she ran to the railing.  
Down below, Rainbow Dash was on her feet and laughing, her hair tousled from her daring jump. She waved and ran back to her teammates out on the field. From the sidelines, her coach barked at her to, "Knock that monkey shit off" and get the drills started.

Fluttershy, now that she knew her friend was all right, let out a small laugh.

 _She's such a show off!_

The soccer team began their work. The goal keepers split off to practice ball saves. The remaining team members, at Rainbow's say-so, began a drill practicing one-touch passes. She herself did not join, however. A blonde girl was also staying out of the drill.

 _That must be Sassaflash, the vice captain_ , Fluttershy noted. Rainbow had mentioned the other girl in passing, and of course, they were constantly seen together on campus.

Sassaflash stood at Rainbow's side and cracked a joke, making her teammate laugh.

A nasty feeling squirmed in Fluttershy's gut, and she willfully ignored it.

After securing a soccer ball from the sidelines, the two captains separated from the rest of the group. They bantered for a moment before Rainbow began to juggle the ball with her foot. It started off rather mundane, until she swung her foot in a circle over the airborne ball before catching it just before it hit the ground. She did this again and again, elaborating each time, even switching feet now and again. She built up a rhythm, manipulating the ball in an impressive series of agile movements that started to feel not unlike a dance.

At one point, Rainbow held the ball against the top of her foot and her shin, and to Fluttershy's astonishment, did a handstand with legs apart, the ball still in place. Sassaflash rolled her eyes and waved off her friend's antics, but she was smiling. When Rainbow Dash came out of her handstand, she still had tight control of the ball against her lower leg. She even did a few circle kicks with it before letting it go up into the air in a high arc, and headbutting it toward her teammate. Sassaflash caught the ball with her shoulder, and when it fell to the ground, she proceeded to freestyle with it in much the same fashion.

Fluttershy clapped, her face aching from how hard she was smiling. Rainbow turned to her and bowed, her smile equally as broad.

As far as surprises went, it was one of the nicest Shy had received in a while.

* * *

In the locker room, Sassaflash sprang a question while she and Rainbow Dash showered.

"Wasn't that one of your high school friends?" she asked from her stall.

"Yeah," Rainbow said with a distracted glance. She was trying to hurry. Fluttershy was outside waiting to walk to the library. "Her name's Fluttershy."

Sassaflash grinned slyly as she scrubbed at her arm with a soapy bath sponge. "Was I a good wingwoman?"

"Wingwoman?" Rainbow paused to scrunch her nose at her vice captain before her eyes widened. " _Oh!_ Yeah! That. You weren't—uh, that is—I was just trying to—"

Sassaflash giggled. "Chill, dude! I was just teasing!"

Rainbow Dash let out a nervous laugh. "Chill? Pfft, I'm like _ice!_ " She squeezed some body wash onto a loofa. "Besides, me and Fluttershy have been friends for years. It'd be weird, if we…y'know."

"Did the nasty?" Sass offered helpfully.

A grimace. "Yeah, that."

Sassaflash shrugged as she let the stream rinse the suds off her skin. "Okay, Dashie. Whatever you say." She leaned over and said out of the corner of her mouth. "By the by, I think you made a good impression on the girl you _weren't_ trying to impress." She held up a hand with an innocent expression. "Can a non-wingwoman get some love?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes, her lips puckering in an attempt to hide her smile.

She still gave Sassaflash a high five.

Once through in the shower, Rainbow Dash hastily got dressed and rushed to meet her friend outside. It was half-past eight and the sky was dark. They cut across the field toward the forest, just as Rainbow had done Sunday.

Along the way, the ordinarily shy girl was buzzing with praise.

"Oh Rainbow, that was wonderful! Thank you so much for inviting me! I loved seeing you and your friend do those tricks!"

Rainbow Dash shrugged, a smirk on her lips. "I like to freestyle with the ball. My dad thinks it's dumb, but I like it. It's fun."

"How could he think that? Rainbow, you're so good at it!"

"I dunno. I guess he thinks it's just flashy nonsense." She put on a serious face and said in a deep gruffy voice, "'Rainbow Dash, you aren't going to score by acting like you belong in a circus!'"

Fluttershy frowned. "With all due respect to your father, I disagree! It takes great skill to control the ball that way. I see it every time you play."

Rainbow Dash shoved her hands into her pockets as she regarded her companion with her head turned a quarter of the way. "Really?"

Fluttershy smiled, her eyes lidded. "Yes." She skipped a little. "I can't wait to see more of it this Sunday!"

Rainbow grinned, her chest puffing. "Yeeeah… I don't blame you. I'm pretty amazing, after all."

Her friend giggled at her.

* * *

One hour later, at the library.

Rainbow Dash was sitting on the floor, her phone propped up against her backpack with one of Dr. Axon's lectures playing. A baseball cap sat between her legs as she tossed folded paper triangles into it. Fluttershy was flipping through her journal of notes, a loose sheet of paper next to it that she occasionally wrote on. She claimed she was expanding on the outline they had started yesterday. Rainbow Dash knew she should be happy about this, but all she felt was anxious.

"Fluttershy," she said as she aimed another paper triangle.

Her friend finished writing something before turning to her. "Yes, Rainbow?"

"Why does a pre-vet student have to take psychology?" She threw her triangle and missed.

Fluttershy cocked her head to the side as she thought. "I think maybe because it's a precursor to Animal Behavioralism? It's been a while since I looked at my education plan."

"Animal Behavioralism? What the heck is that?" Rainbow took aim again.

"Have you ever seen those dog whisperer shows?"

"But what does understanding the human mind have to do with animals?"

Fluttershy grinned and resumed writing.

Rainbow Dash scowled at this. "What?" she asked.

The other girl glanced at her, her smile widening. "Humans _are_ animals, Rainbow. By scientific definition."

"But we're the most advanced creatures! Our brains are like— _big._ "

"So big that we can rise above basic instincts?"

"Duh. Of course!"

Fluttershy sighed a little as she set down her pen and turned in her seat to look at Rainbow Dash full on. She arched a sleek eyebrow and said, "Understanding animal behavior includes examining body language. I had to do it all the time at the animal shelter. It's complex and always situational. Humans have their own form of unspoken language." She gestured at Rainbow. "Right now, I'm getting some signals from you. Do you want to know what you're telling me?"

"Sure." Rainbow smirked and crossed her arms. "This oughta be good."

Fluttershy's blue eyes softened as her eyes trailed from Rainbow's feet, toes pointed outward; up her skinny-jeaned legs, spread apart; to her slouched spine, curving at the middle as her shoulders dug into the wall; to her lifting chin and broadening smirk. The seconds ticked by. Rainbow scooted up the wall to better sit on her bottom. She reasoned that the choice to move was because her back was protesting her poor posture, not because she was nervous that her companion might somehow see something undesirable.

When Fluttershy spoke, it was with a little frown. "You're uneasy."

Rainbow fought to keep her smirk from shrinking. "Oh yeah? What makes you say that?"

"Your arms. They're crossed like you're trying to shield yourself." Her frown deepened. "You were slouching a moment ago. Like you're resigned. Or bored. Or both?" Her eyes met Rainbow's. "And you changed your position. Not just fidgeted. You changed how your body rested entirely."

"And what do you think that means?" Rainbow asked. She wasn't smirking anymore.

Fluttershy shrugged, her chin dipping a little. "It could mean a lot of things…"

"Humor me."

"All right," Shy took a lock of her pink hair and slowly twirled it around her finger. "Changing position under scrutiny suggests an attempt to control another's perception."

"And why would I try and do that?"

Fluttershy shrugged again. "Maybe your back was just getting tired? Reading body language isn't exact. I can get base readings, but nothing of the reasons why." She brushed back the lock of hair she had been twirling and turned back to her work. "With animals it's easier to make that kind of guess because their needs tend to be simple. I won't insult you by suggesting you're the same."

Rainbow blinked, uncertain if she should feel annoyed at the dodge or grateful for the respect her friend was bestowing her. Fluttershy could have easily suggested that the reason was insecurity, and it would have been completely without malice. Worse, if she was anything like Sunset said she was, she could have tried to smoke out Rainbow Dash's ulterior motives for their working together. Her refraining from making assumptions had less to do with kindness and everything to do with classiness.

Rainbow Dash decided she appreciated this, immensely.

But Fluttershy was working again, and that was making her feel bad.

 _I have a friggin' month for this project. I don't need her to do it all in a day._

She stood to her feet and held out her hand. "Come on, Shy. Let's take a walk. Just around here on the third floor."

The girl looked up at her. Her gaze was questioning, but instead of voicing her thoughts, she took Rainbow's hand and stood.

They left the study room and fell into step next to each other.

"Rainbow, I was wondering…" Fluttershy started tentatively.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you a sociology major?"

Rainbow Dash heaved a sigh.

"It was the only choice I felt like I had," she admitted reluctantly.

Fluttershy's brow furrowed. "You mean you're majoring in something you don't even care about?"

"I didn't _want_ to, okay?" Rainbow snapped as her body tensed. "I told my counselor I wanted to do other things. But he explained that I'd be putting in over thirty hours a week just toward training for soccer, and he was right. Soccer is what I'm here for, not sociology. It's kind of lame…but it's what I'm good at." She shrugged one shoulder. "And you never know. I might go pro. If that happens, then who cares what I majored in college?"

"What would you have majored in if you felt you had a choice?" Fluttershy asked.

They went down an aisle marked 'Agricultural Science: D-F'.

Rainbow smiled and winced. "Music." She scratched her cheek and added, "I also thought it would be cool to be a stormchaser, but you have to get into meteorology for that, and it's too brainy for me."

Fluttershy smirked. "You always did seem to know what the weather would be like…"

"Because I had an app and I wanted to know if it would affect my games. Duh. But believe me—if there was a way to deal with the weather in a non-egghead way, I'd totally be down!"

They exited the aisle and started walking along the wall, where the windows showed the dark world outside. The sky had become overcast, hiding the moon from sight.

It was when they turned down the X-Y aisle, that Fluttershy said, "I think you'd be a great music major. You were always the most enthusiastic about The Sonic Rainbooms." She met and held Rainbow's eyes. "Your passion was inspiring."

Rainbow Dash could feel her skin heat up at her friend's earnestness. She rubbed at the back of her neck. "You already had your own passion, Shy. Long before we ever started the Rainbooms. You were writing all those cool song lyrics, and you were _really_ good with a tambourine. That's a hard instrument to play, and it added a lot to our sound!"

Fluttershy smiled wryly. "I wish Hoops, Dumb-Bell, and Score thought so. They made fun of my tambourine every chance they got."

Rainbow scowled upon remembering the three bullies. "Screw them! Those idiots don't know the first thing about music."

They left the aisle and started walking back toward the study room. It had been a circuitous walk, but they had finally gone all around the third floor.

As they neared the study room, Fluttershy sighed. "That was nice, Rainbow Dash. But we should probably get back to work."

Rainbow stopped and touched her friend's shoulder. "Hey, wait up."

Fluttershy paused to look back at her, her eyes blinking.

"I just wanna say…thank you. Again. Y'know, for helping me." Rainbow Dash stubbed the tip of her sneaker into the floor and dropped her gaze. "I know you're busy, so it means a lot." Without raising her head, she peeked at her friend.

Fluttershy was smiling from ear to ear. "Rainbow, nothing makes me happier than helping my friends."

That statement hit right in the gut.

Rainbow bobbed her head with a pursed smile, trying to hide it. She gestured ahead and said, "You go on. I need to check my phone messages real quick."

Her friend gave her one last fond look before turning and entering the room. Rainbow Dash waited a beat to make sure Fluttershy wouldn't come back out for any reason, then she put her face in her hands and tried to squash the self-loathing in her chest through sheer will alone.

It wasn't working.


	9. Chapter 8

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 8

 **R: Morning!**

 **F: Rainbow… It's just after 6 am…**

 **R: Oh crap. Did I wake u? :(**

 **F: Lol, it's ok. I'm usually up early**

 **R: Cool. How ya doin?**

 **F: Fine. Did u sleep better last nite?**

 **R: Like a BABY. :D Just got outta the gym**

 **F: What did u work on 2day?**

 **R: My core. I got abs of steel :)**

 **F: Lol, I believe u…**

 **R: Hey, so u free again for another project session 2nite?**

 **F: Yes! I don't have class or work 2day.**

 **R: Sweet!**

 **F: RD, can u do me a favor?**

 **R: Sure!**

 **F: Plz take a picture of the sunrise 4 me?**

 **R: No prob! Can't see it that gr8 from ur house, huh?**

 **F: Oh, I can see it just fine. I'm just going back 2 sleep. ;)**

 **R: LOL! Ok, get some rest sleepy head**

* * *

Fluttershy awoke to her phone buzzing. Her eyes felt scratchy. Her body protested being awake. She lifted her head to check the clock. It was half past six. Feeling very confused, she grabbed her phone from her nightstand and unlocked it. There was a new message from Rainbow. The screen icon indicated it had an attachment. Her eyes widened, and she sat up as she brought up the text conversation.

Her breath caught.

Rainbow Dash had indeed taken a picture of the rising sun, but she had gotten creative in doing so. It was a very kinetic shot. No doubt with the aid of a selfie-stick, the unabashed show-off had ponied-up and flown high over the Canterlot Mountains to take her own picture. Her face was dim from the rear lighting, but the sun had risen just high enough that her features were discernible. Her grin was broad as she threw up a peace sign. Fluttershy covered her smiling mouth as her eyes drank in the majestic spread of her friend's blue wings; the way the sunlight flared into the lens just past the curve of her exposed neck; the wild dance of her colorful hair as she wheeled through the air.

Shivering, Fluttershy typed out a reply on her phone.

 **F: Amazing! I love it!**

Then she hugged the phone to her chest and flopped backward with a happy giggle.

* * *

Rainbow Dash was strutting. Not just walking. Strutting.

Ever since her text conversation with Fluttershy that morning, she had felt effervescent and jovial. She had nailed it with that selfie. Taking the risk of ponying up had been more than worth it in her opinion.

It delighted her to imagine what Fluttershy's face had looked like when she first saw the picture. Did she blush? Did she laugh? Did her eyes widen in that adorable way of hers whenever something stunned her?

She was glad her friend had sent her a positive reply. She'd been half-afraid that the other girl would express alarm at the fact that she'd risked exposing their powers. While it was true that their magic was at one time a well-known secret at Canterlot High, that didn't mean the rest of the world could ever find out about them. The students and faculty at their old high school owed their lives to their group. Government scientists would be loyal to only one thing—the pursuit of answers. That was why if Rainbow ever took to the sky, it was usually when most people were asleep.  
With this in mind, she had tried to offset the risk of sprouting wings that morning by flying over the Everfree forest, to the far mountains.

If given the choice on whether or not she'd do it again:

 _I totally would!_ Rainbow drew her shoulders back as she puffed her chest. _Fluttershy said it herself. It was_ amazing. _Man, I'm good!_

That day, she had a team meeting. She was heading to the quad to meet with Sassaflash for lunch before going. But when Rainbow got to their usual meeting spot at the maple tree, she couldn't see her vice captain anywhere. She took out her cell phone and sent a text.

 **R: Sass where r u?**

A response came a second later.

 **S: Look up.**

Blinking, Rainbow Dash did just that.

Sassaflash was up in the thick branches of the maple tree. She had her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and was waving frantically for Rainbow Dash to come up.

"What the…" But Rainbow just shrugged and grabbed the lowest branch she could reach. With little difficulty, she ascended to join her friend.

"Thanks," Sassaflash with a sigh of relief as she settled down.

Rainbow gestured at the branch they sat on. "Sass, what the heck are we doing up here?"

The vice captain flashed a wicked grin and pulled her backpack from further up the branch. From it, she produced two horrible masks. She handed one to a startled Rainbow Dash. It was an angry demonic clown monkey. Sassaflash's was an undead gorilla clown.

"We're going to give someone a few gray hairs!" the blonde said with diabolical eagerness.

A slow grin spread across Rainbow's face.

 _A prank? Oh heck yeah!_

They moved to crouch on individual branches, with Sassaflash keeping a lookout for prime scare subjects.

"So how ya doing, anyhow?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"All right. Why?"

"I meant to ask at practice, but—"

"You were distracted?" Sassaflash interjected with a smirk.

Rainbow tried to lance her with a stern look. Her friend failed to wither as she so wished. "I was _gonna_ ask about Caramel," she said.

Sass inhaled deeply, her eyes casting upward. "Oh boy…"

"Have you talked to him?"

"Yes."

" _And?_ "

"And we had angry hate sex last night."

Rainbow Dash pretended to gag.

Sassaflash grinned. "I know! _Breeders_ , right? We're so gross!"

"But why!?" Rainbow exclaimed.

A giggle. "Why are breeders gross? Dashie, I thought that was obvious!"

"No, no, I mean—why would you—?"

"Sleep with my boyfriend to get over a fight we had?"

Rainbow Dash grimaced. "Yes. That!"

Sassaflash shrugged. "Heck if I know. I like to think of it as give and take."

"And how's that?"

Sass shot her a devious look. "As in he _gives it_ , and I _take it!_ "

Rainbow stared, her face slack. "Right," she said slowly. "Now that I've sailed straight past _grossed out_ …I'm gonna put that whole conversation in a box, and _bury_ it."

Sassaflash wagged a finger. "Watch! Someday you're gonna have angry hate sex too, and then you'll understand!"

"Moving on! I've got a new set I wanted to float at the next team meeting."

"Yeah? What kind?"

"A free kick attacking run."

"Don't we already have three of those?"

"Yeah, but it's like you said before. We have to change things up or the other team will get wise."

"Oh is _that_ what you took away from our conversation on Monday," Sassaflash muttered with an eye roll.

A sigh. "Sass—"

"So what's going on with that 'emergency' of yours?" her friend interjected pointedly.

Rainbow Dash stiffened. "I'm working on it."

"Rumor is, you're on your way to being removed from a class," Sass glanced at her. "If you were, you'd lose your scholarship, wouldn't you?"

"Where'd you hear that?" was the irritated reply.

"A secretary in the dean's office told a little birdie, who told another, and another… Look, don't get so sore about it. No one thinks less of you. All everyone cares about is you being able to stay on the team!"

"It's still none of their business," Rainbow Dash griped. "And anyway, I'm _not_ going to get kicked out of my class."

"So the rumors _are_ true."

Rainbow grimaced. "Sass, are you looking for people to scare, or are you trying to interrogate me? The least you could do is pull this somewhere with a door I can storm out of. It's not as cool to jump out of a tree like a monkey."

"A demon clown monkey," Sassaflash corrected innocently as she pointed at Rainbow's mask.

"Whatever."

"Hey, I'm not trying to make you feel judged, Dashie. I mean," she arched an eyebrow. "Would it have been cool if you'd told me this to begin with? Yeah. But I just want you to know that if you need help, then I'm here. I mean, I'm not a brainiac or anything, but I can do _some_ stuff." She smiled gently. "Besides, if the team loses you, who else is going to keep me on my toes at practices?"

Rainbow smirked. "You could just play in high heels and a skirt."

Sassaflash gave her a cheeky wink. "I guess that'd be one way to get you to keep showing up."

Without missing a beat, Rainbow said huskily, "Hey baby. _I_ won't give you a yellow card if you take off your shirt." She wiggled her eyebrows for added effect.

They shared a quiet laugh.

"Rainbow Dash, you're such a keeper," Sassaflash giggled. Her smile turned mischievous. "Does Fluttershy like it when you talk to her like that?"

Rainbow blushed, her eyes shifting nervously from the walkway below, to her friend, and back. "I don't talk to her like that."

"Why not?"

"Because when _we_ do it, we're just fooling around. If I did that to Fluttershy, she'd probably run the other way!"

"Ah. So she plays hard to get."

Rainbow could feel her blush deepen. "Will you knock it off? I already told you, we're just friends! Half the reason we're even spending time together again is because she's helping me deal with my problem."

Sassaflash whistled. "That's nice of her!"

"That's pretty much Shy in a nutshell."

"Next time, you should introduce us. I know you were in a hurry last night, but she sounds like someone I'd get along with."

"At least you two could relate on being grass-eaters."

Sassaflash gasped her face lighting up. "She's a vegetarian?"

"Yep."

Rainbow Dash stared as her vice captain squealed and clapped her hands softly.  
"Now I _have_ to meet her! We could trade recipes!"

"Oh yeah," Rainbow muttered sarcastically. "You could even cook together. Wouldn't that be _lovely?_ "

Sassaflash covered her mouth with both hands, her amber eyes becoming wide like saucers. When she removed her hands, she squeaked, "That…would be so… _awesome!_ "

Rainbow wrinkled her nose. "Who are you, and what have you done with Sassaflash?"

The other girl rolled her eyes, her smile turning crooked. "I already told you, Dashie. You don't know me nearly as well as you think!"

"But we talk all the time!"

Sassaflash's smile turned somber. "Sure we do. Considering the incredible 'trust' and 'depth' our conversations usually entail, I can totally see why you would feel betrayed at not knowing _every single thing about me_."

Rainbow Dash flinched. "Dude, that's not cool. You're not just a distraction for me. You're my friend!"

"I know that, Rainbow Dash. But I think you're content to maintain the status quo." Sassaflash's head tilted to the side. "Y'know. Like with Fluttershy."

"Now just wait a minute—!"

Sassaflash shushed her, a finger shooting up. Rainbow ground her teeth, but fell quiet. Her friend had spotted something down below, and she started to wave a frantic hand. "Ooh, ooh! Derpy's coming. Get ready!"

"Don't think this conversation is over, Sass!"

" _Shhh!_ "

Rainbow muttered irritably under her breath as she jammed the mask on her head. Through the eyeholes, she could barely see Sass hold up three fingers.

 _1…2…3!_

They dropped down, cackling evilly as they waved their arms and danced around like lunatics.

" _Aaaaah!_ " a woman screamed.

 _Uh oh. That didn't sound like Derpy._

Rainbow Dash ripped the mask off. Derpy was further up the path, nowhere near them. Apparently, she'd paused to tie her shoe. She stared at them with her one straight eye, a muffin in her mouth. When Rainbow Dash looked at the individual that they had actually surprised, she felt her stomach bottom out.

Sassaflash, unaware, just doubled over, laughing hysterically. She was still wearing her mask.

"Sassaflash," Rainbow croaked. When her friend didn't heed her, she snatched the mask off her friend's head. " _Sass!_ "

Her vice captain frowned at her, but her grin remained. "What? What is it?"

Rainbow Dash swallowed and pointed, the sweat forming on her brow.

Sassaflash finally looked. Her face paled as she went ramrod straight.

"P-Professor Yearling?" she managed to squeak.

The bookish archaeology professor had her hand on her heaving chest, her navy neck tie askew, while her other hand pulled back her brown blazer to grip what looked like a whip. Rainbow had heard the rumors, of course, but somehow seeing the coiled weapon was far less sexy than she'd imagined.

 _She looks like she could_ hang _me with that thing!_

When the professor gathered herself, she pushed up her thick red glasses and growled, "Clowns… Why did you have to use clowns!?" Her look was practically murderous.

Rainbow threw an arm around Sassaflash's shoulders and blurted in a rush: "We're so sorry, it'll never happen again! You're all right, right? Right! Great, so we'll just be on our way then, m'kay? Bye!" Then to Sass, she hissed out of the corner of her mouth, " _Run!_ "

Her vice captain didn't need telling twice. Together, the two soccer players took off at a sprint, practically leaving a dust cloud behind them.

* * *

Fluttershy had every intention to stay in her pajamas all day and study, but when Rarity had awoken her with a tearful, incoherent call, all thoughts of such things had been doomed. She leapt out of bed, her cell phone pressed to her ear as she turned on her shower, then hurried to her closet.

"Rarity. R-Rarity, I can't— Please slow down? Or, or maybe…use words?" She tried, vainly to understand what her friend was sobbing on about. She thought she caught something about coffee in there, so she assured the fashionista that she was coming with refreshments. After calling for a cab, she showered, dressed, and hurried out to her waiting ride.

"The coffee shop on fifth and eighth, please!" she told the driver breathlessly.

At the shop, she bought three coffees (an extra in case Pinkie Pie was there) and bagels with extra strawberry cream cheese. The drive to the Delta Alpha Kappa house was relatively quick—it was located in the same region of town as Fluttershy's home. There was a bit of a chill in the air, as the sun had only just risen over the hills. She wondered, anxiously, just what new disaster may have struck. The only real way to tell was to get Rarity to calm down enough to be intelligible.

 _We'll see what it is this time…_ Fluttershy thought with a sigh as the cab arrived outside of the sorority house. She paid the driver and exited the car, hurrying up the cement pathway to the Victorian house's paned double-doors.

She didn't even get a chance to ring the doorbell. Before she knew it, the doors flew open and Fluttershy was dragged inside.

Rarity was already hanging on to her, sobbing uncontrollably. Her arms hugged around Fluttershy's torso, and the animal lover struggled to keep from spilling the coffee from the cup tray. Her friend's normally beautiful hair was mussed and dull. Covering her was a purple night gown and a silk grey bathrobe. Past the foyer, just to the right of the staircase, a girl with thick, curly, two-toned hair the colors of orange and warm yellow poked her head through the entryway that led into the kitchen.

"Oh thank _goodness!_ " she groaned.

Fluttershy smiled at her nervously. "Um, hello Junebug."

Junebug's lime green eyes narrowed as she pointed at Rarity. " _That_ has been going on since midnight. If you can get her to stop, there's a luxury bouquet in it for you!"

Rarity slipped down to the floor, now just a crying heap at Fluttershy's feet.

Fluttershy asked with a hint of panic. "Is Pinkie Pie here?"

Junebug shook her head before retreating back into the kitchen. "Nope!" she called back. "Haven't seen her in two days. I think she's with her new boyfriend."

Fluttershy frowned. _Pinkie Pie is seeing someone?_ She let out a little sigh as she knelt by Rarity.

"Rarity…" she murmured, brushing her friend's hair back from her tear-stained face. She pointed meekly at the coffee and bag of bagels on the cup tray. "Look! I brought you some breakfast!"

Rarity wiped at her eyes and pouted her lip. With great effort, she managed to whimper out between hiccuping sobs, "Did—Did you bring…bagels?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"A-And did you get…extra…extra—"

"Extra strawberry cream cheese? Yes, I did."

Fluttershy squeaked as Rarity hugged her around the neck. Hard.

"Oh Fluttershy, you are simply the _best_ friend a woman could ask for!" Rarity wailed.

Fluttershy tapped her on the arm frantically.

"Best…friend…can't…breathe!" she gasped.

* * *

Rarity would not be moved from the floor of the foyer until she'd devoured exactly one and a half bagels, and guzzled down both of the remaining coffees. After that, she rose from the floor, raised her quivering chin, and announced that she needed a moment to freshen up in the bathroom.

Fluttershy waited in her and Pinkie Pie's room. The space was an even split of two personalities. One side was almost entirely pink, and filled with various novelties and party supplies. The other side was a neat, organized, and sophisticated array of white and indigo with just one small island of fashion-fueled chaos at a work desk.

Fluttershy barely had time to sit down before Rarity was bustling into the room, her hair combed back into something resembling her usual style, and her eyes done up with makeup.

 _She's always so fast!_ Fluttershy noted with wonder.

Rarity sat down next to her with a dramatic groan. "Thank you _so_ much for coming on such short notice, Fluttershy!" she said with a grateful, but exhausted smile. Even with her makeup, Fluttershy could see how missing a night's worth of sleep had taken its toll.

"Rarity, what has you so upset?" Fluttershy asked. She fished a bagel from the bag she'd brought and tore off a small piece to eat.

The fashionista put her wrist to her brow and fell backward onto the mattress. Tears misted her already red, swollen eyes.

"I don't know what I'm doing, Fluttershy," she said, her voice choking with emotion. "Yesterday, one of my teachers told me that I'd _never_ make it as a fashion designer!"

Fluttershy gasped. "You poor thing!"

"Oh I _know!_ He told me that my work was gaudy and juvenile. Can you believe that!?" Rarity clutched at her bed covers and bared her teeth. "Just because I don't subscribe to that dreary, minimalist, gothic _nonsense_ that everyone else at the design college is so keen on! I mean what is the point of expressing yourself if all you ever use are _blacks_ and _grays?_ We can't _all_ be Mauds, can we?"

"Goodness, no!"

"And that isn't even the worst of it! I've been struggling with the decorations for the costume party, and yet Pinkie Pie has gone AWOL for the past few days! The day after the dinner, she said she had a doctor's appointment, but she never came back to the sorority house, and no one seems able to reach her on her cell! We're _supposed_ to start ordering our supplies by tomorrow so that we'll have everything ready the following week, but that hasn't happened! My sorority sisters keep asking questions about what we'll need done, and I have no idea what to tell them! My job was the decorations! Pinkie Pie was supposed to be handling the logistics! I don't know how to organize anything bigger than a private tea party!"

Rarity covered her face with her hands. "Oh, but then I feel _horrible_ , because what if Pinkie is actually in trouble? Here I am just worrying about this party—which, by the way, I haven't had a chance to work on my outfit for—and to make matters even worse, Blueblood and his fraternity are going to be there—and yet every time I look at my work table to start on my outfit, I just think of that _dreadful_ teacher's words, and, and—"

Fluttershy touched her friend's knee before she could start going further down her slippery slope.

"Rarity?" she prompted gently.

Rarity peeked at her from between her fingers.

"First, I think you need to practice those breathing exercises I mentioned to you last we met."

"Fluttershy, I don't think I can—"

"In through your nose." Fluttershy paused to take a breath, and the fashionista followed suit. "And out through your mouth," They both exhaled together. Shy smiled. "Good!"

She set aside her bagel and laid onto the bed next to Rarity with her body turned on its side and her head propped up on her hand. With a stern look, she said, "Now you simply _must_ get some rest."

"But Fluttershy—!"

"Ah, ah!" Fluttershy frowned and Rarity pouted at her. "You're caught in a loop! You need to disconnect for a moment. Don't try to solve anything until you've gotten some sleep. Once you wake up, you can try and meditate on your decoration ideas. All right?"

Rarity nodded like a child.

Fluttershy smiled gently. "Good." Her expression turned stern again. "Now as for that teacher… Don't listen to him! He sounds like a big," she inhaled and forced out next, " _meanie!_ Meanies aren't worth losing sleep over… Okay?" She hated using the 'm' word, and she hated for her words to be at odds with anyone (even if they weren't even in the room) but sometimes, she reasoned, you couldn't avoid it.

Rarity managed a weak smile. "Yes. You're right, of course."

"And about Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy bit her lip and thought about her next words carefully. When she spoke it was very slowly and gently. "Don't worry about her. Trust that she's doing what she needs to do. I'm sure that wherever she is, she's safe and doing what she does best. She's in touch with her family nearly every day, the way she tells it. They would know if something was amiss."

Rarity nodded and took a deep breath. On her exhale, she sat up, and Fluttershy sat up with her.

The fashionista smiled warmly, some of the gleam restored in her eyes. "Thank you, Fluttershy. You're so good to me." She took hold of her friend's hand and squeezed.

Fluttershy returned the smile and put her hand over Rarity's. "I care about you, Rarity. I'll always be here when you need me!"

They sat in companionable silence for a time.

Then Rarity cocked her head to the side and asked, "Well, now that I've had my hissy fit, we should talk about you a bit! How are you doing, dear? Those dinners we have every month are pleasant enough, but it seems you always fade into the background. Is everything all right?"

Fluttershy blushed and looked away. "Well, to be perfectly honest, I was feeling quite unhappy, but then…"

When she didn't continue, Rarity leaned over to better peer up into her face. "Fluttershy?"

 _Should I tell her?_ Fluttershy wondered. _Rainbow Dash didn't say her psychology project was a secret_ per se _, but I can't imagine she'd want people knowing about her situation._ Her brow furrowed. _Then again, do I even need to mention the project at all? We're in the same class, after all. I could just say we're studying together. Then I'd have someone to talk about—_ Her eyes widened and she bowed her head, letting her hair hide her face. _Wait, what am I thinking? I can't talk to Rarity about my plan! She'll think I'm so conniving! I mean, it is—I mean, I am—I mean—!_

Fluttershy flinched when Rarity brushed back her curtain of hair, her brow wrinkled with concern. "My goodness!" she exclaimed. "It appears you are having quite the inner debate!"  
Rarity sat closer and hugged Fluttershy around the shoulders. "Darling, if you really feel unable to speak to me, then I understand. But you should really know that I am _here_ for you, whatever the case may be!"

The hug felt warm. Safe.

Fluttershy's spine straightened as the affection blossomed in her chest. "Oh Rarity, I don't even know where to begin!"

The other girl's lips quirked into an encouraging smile as she ended her hug. "Why not start with what you feel is simplest to explain?"

"I suppose that'd be school, then."

"Oh? Are you having trouble with your classes?"

"Not really. But…" Fluttershy bit her lip. Her chin tucked as she murmured, "Remember that new job I was starting as part of my work study?"

Rarity nodded. "Yes! Are you not enjoying it?"

Fluttershy sighed miserably. "I hate it!"

"Really? But I thought—!"

"I'm working with animals, so I must love it. Right? That's what you were going to say, weren't you?" Fluttershy scowled at her friend's guilty look. "But it's not that simple! The hospital is nothing like the animal shelter! They can be so cold! The people running it seem more concerned with _money_ than the well-being of their patients." Her eyes misted. "I don't fit in. They all think I'm strange and sentimental."

"What cads!" Rarity said fiercely. She struck her knee with her fist daintily. "Why, I ought to go over there and give them a piece of my mind! How could anyone discredit you, Fluttershy? You're a _wonder_ with animals!" Her eyes narrowed. "I have half a mind to bring Opal in under some pretense. I'd like to see _them_ try to attend to her needs as finely as you do!"

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "R-Rarity, I don't think that would help."

A sigh. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I can't afford to pay for someone else's emergency room bills this year. How fortunate for them that I am such a lady!" She flipped her hair back, then paused and added reluctantly, "And also short on funds."

"Yes, my work has been difficult. Although…" Fluttershy smiled. "I've had something new to look forward to that might make it bearable!"

Rarity's eyebrows lifted. "And what ever would that be, darling?"

"Rainbow Dash and I are studying psychology together. In private."

Her friend's eyes grew very wide. Out of all of their friends, Rarity had been the only one Fluttershy had confided in about her hidden feelings.

"My goodness!" the fashionista exclaimed with a large smile. "That _is_ something to look forward to!" She leaned in, her smile curling. "And how has that been going?"

"It's not as interesting as you think."

"Surely you must be enjoying yourself, though?"

Fluttershy blushed and looked at her lap. "Yes!"

Rarity giggled at her friend's demure reaction and gently bumped shoulders with her. "How wonderful! You must be delighted to have Rainbow Dash all to yourself."

"I am, very much so!" Fluttershy began to twirl a lock of hair around her finger. "I've even found the courage to try and…well…"

Rarity gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "My goodness! Fluttershy, do you mean to tell me that you intend to—" she leaned in and stage whispered, " _Seduce_ her?"

Fluttershy's smile was wiped from her face as she shrank back. "N-no, that's not quite the word I would use—"

Rarity leapt to her feet, her hands clapping excitedly as she squealed. "Fluttershy, this is fabulous! I am so excited for you! When do you see her again?"

"Tonight, actually."

Rarity froze, her eyes going up and down her companion.

Fluttershy paled. She knew that look.

Her friend put her hands on her hips as her gaze took on an edge. "You don't intend to woo her in clothes like _that_ , do you?"

"Um, well—"

"Fluttershy, I'm disappointed in you! When was the last time you've been shopping?"

"Rarity, I don't have _time_ to—"

"Oh, pish posh! Of course you have time. As I recall, your Thursdays are free, are they not?"

Fluttershy wrung her hands. "I mean, they _are_ , but—"

Rarity grabbed her wrists and hauled her to her feet. "Then we are going shopping. _Tout de suite!_ "

"B-but Rarity you need to rest!"

The fashionista zipped to her closet and began energetically rifling through its contents. "I cannot possibly sleep knowing you are having a fashion emergency. No, certainly not!"

"Then can't you just give me something from out of your wardrobe?"

Rarity gave her a scandalized look. "Fluttershy, don't be silly! You have a completely different palette from me. And anyway, I'm not even sure we're the same size anymore." She stage whispered, "You should have kept up with those yoga classes, dear. They did wonders for you!"

Fluttershy started pacing, her eyes scanning for something, _anything_ , to dissuade her friend. Her eyes fell on her fashion work desk.

"Make me something, then!" she blurted. "Why go to the bother of going from store to store, getting undressed in cold dressing rooms, and trying not to let people see what size pants you're looking at…" Fluttershy's eyes went distant as a haunted look overcame her features.

Rarity stiffened, her hands stilling on the hangars. After a long pause, she said with just the smallest turn of her head, "I'm...low on fabric." She resumed rifling through her closet, but the enthusiasm felt contrived. "Also, It's been almost two years since I've measured you."

"But-"

"To make matters worse, my sewing machine is on the fritz, I can't find my fabric scissors, and oh heavens, don't even get me _started_ on my stock of thread." Rarity flashed a fixed smile. "Besides, coming up with something by tonight is a tall order for even me, don't you think?"

"Rarity I don't have any money to spend on clothes!" Fluttershy squeaked. She could feel her hope for escape pulling away from her.

"Don't you worry about that, darling. I shall take care of everything."

"But you _just said_ you don't have much money!"

Rarity shot her a look. "Fluttershy, credit cards exist for a reason! And nothing brings me more happiness than giving to my friends." She went to her, with hands clasped, her lower lip pouting. "You wouldn't deny a lady one of her few comforts in this world during her time of need…would you?"

Fluttershy's shoulders hunched around her ears.

 _Was this the same person I was worried would think me too conniving?_

* * *

After her team meeting was through, Rainbow Dash returned to her dorm room to find Sunset Shimmer sitting on the Equestrian's bed. She was leaning on her knee with her head in her hand, her red and yellow hair clipped back and looking more frizzy than usual. Her other hand pressed her cell phone to her ear. She didn't look up as Rainbow crossed the room and sat down on her bed.

"Sir, I understand that, but—" Sunset bared her teeth as a voice squeaked something over the line. "Well can't you stop the transaction? I didn't authorize it!" A short reply. "But I already _paid_ that bill!" She pinched her brow and growled as the other person responded to this. "Fine. I suppose I'll just call the company then. Thank you for your help."

Sunset straightened and ended the call. She looked at Rainbow Dash, but the glaze of her eyes suggested she was still wrestling with her latest dilemma. "Hello, Rainbow."

"Hey Sunset." Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow as she started to unlace her shoes. "Everything cool?"

"No," her roommate answered honestly. "But I'm dealing with it." She stood, stretched, then dropped back down onto her bed. "Ugh! I don't think I can study right now. I feel too tense."

"I know how you feel," Rainbow said with a nod. She pulled her shoes off and laid back on her bed. "I really do." She drummed her fingers on her stomach as she gazed up at the ceiling. "Hey. Sunset Shimmer?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you… Do you miss Equestria?"

Even without turning her head, Rainbow could sense the stillness of her friend.

"All the time," was the quiet reply.

"Why don't you go back?"

"Because."

Rainbow Dash turned her head. "Because what?"

Sunset's eyes held her roommate's with focused intensity. "Because I have a responsibility to this world. I brought magic here, when there was none. You guys have it. But there's no telling where else it may have gone."

"Is that why you major in quantum physics?"

Sunset swallowed audibly and gave one stiff nod. "I want to understand this world. Find its limits."

"What for?"

"Because the magic will find those limits and _break_ them. I need to know the damage won't cause this world harm."

Rainbow Dash whistled. "Sunset Shimmer, the real hero."

Her roommate smirked. "Heroine."

"Whatever." Rainbow returned her gaze to the ceiling. "So that's what has Sci-Twi playing mad scientist these days."

"Don't call her that. You know she hates that nickname. It hurts her feelings."

"Well it gets confusing when the princess visits! What do you want me to call her instead? _Four eyes?_ " Rainbow frowned across the room.

Sunset Shimmer tongued her cheek, her eyes penetrating.

The athlete groaned and covered her face with her hands. Into her palms, she said, "Okay, okay, fine! That wasn't cool to say." She sat up and stared straight.

"Rainbow, can I ask you something?"

Rainbow Dash didn't turn her head. "Shoot," she murmured.

"Why did you tell me about your plan with Fluttershy?"

"Because it slipped out," was the flat response.

"Not really. You could have tried to bluff your way out of it, couldn't you?"

"I dunno, Sunset. I thought you said I wasn't exactly a master at mind games?" Rainbow shot her a friend a look.

She was satisfied to see Sunset wince. "I shouldn't have said that. I wasn't trying to suggest you're dumb, Rainbow."

"Yeah, well…"

"Look, what I was trying to get at is—" Sunset broke off with a rough exhale.

Rainbow looked at her sidelong. Her roommate unclipped her hair, letting her thick wavy locks free to frame her face. With a weary expression, she pointed at her nightstand, where next to her alarm clock, rested her magical book. The sun symbol on the cover seemed unusually bright in the late afternoon light.

"I took that book with me when I betrayed my teacher and guardian. It was my last link with her. Even when I was consumed by anger and greed, I couldn't bring myself to leave it because I _knew_. I knew what I was doing was wrong, and I'd need a way to call back home. I think you told me what was really going on because you wanted someone to understand, Rainbow—"

"And do you?" Rainbow asked sharply. She threw her feet over the side of her bed and leaned onto her knees, her neck and shoulders tense. "Do you have any idea what it feels like knowing I have to choose between one of my best friends and my father? Between ruining a friendship or shaming my family?"

"But it doesn't have to be that way—!"

"Oh yeah? Well in the fifty-five hours I rack up between school and soccer, you tell me when the heck I'm supposed to type up a fifteen-page report, then still be prepared enough to give a psychology presentation at the end of the month! And get this—the end of the month is also when the regional championships is supposed to be happening." She jabbed a finger at her roommate, then herself. "So _you_ tell _me_ when I'm supposed to pull this miracle out of my butt!"

Sunset pursed her lips, her gaze averting.

Rainbow cocked an ear. "I'm sorry. What was that? Nothing? No one-liners about the power of friendship or any of that?" She snapped her fingers. "Shucks, that's right! Our friends only see each other _once a month_ now." She snorted and laid back onto the bed. "It's too bad. It'd be really awesome to take the friendship beam to Dr. Axon's face."

There was a long pause. Sunset, sounding resigned, muttered, "Actually, I'd think your dad would benefit from it more."

Rainbow thought about that seriously for a moment. Then she shook her head.

"Nah. I'm pretty sure it'd just return him to his natural state."

"And what would that be?"

"A velociraptor."

A snicker. "Your dad's a dinosaur? He struck me as a wolverine."

"Well he's old, and he's fast, and he's mean, so…"

Some of the tension dissipated as the two girls chuckled weakly.

When they quieted, Sunset went and grabbed her riding jacket and motorcycle helmet from the chair and desk at the foot of her bed. "I'm going to go for dinner. You want anything?"

Rainbow shook her head.

Sunset paused at the door and looked back. "I won't bring any of that stuff up anymore, okay? But…if you want to talk to me—"

"Sure." Rainbow lifted her head and gave a thumbs up. "Thanks, Sunset."

Her roommate nodded her head and left the room.

When the door shut behind her, Rainbow Dash pulled out her cell phone and sent a text to Fluttershy.

 **R: I'm bored. Wanna hang out?**

The response took a long time. The sky turned warm outside as sunset approached.

 **F: I'm with Rarity. She says u can meet us, but…**

Rainbow grimaced and texted back:

 **R: U guys r shopping, aren't u**

 **F: Yes. She keeps making me try things on :(**

The athlete groaned and let her phone drop on her chest. She wiggled a foot as she thought, making the bed mattress squeak.

 _Should I go? But it'll be boring watching them shop._

Rainbow jumped when her phone buzzed. She picked it up and unlocked it. Fluttershy had sent her a text with an attachment. Curious, she opened it…and gaped.

The animal lover was wearing a small dress with a white laced top and light blue floral skirt. She had taken a high-angled selfie so that Rainbow could see down much of the length of her body. Rainbow noted with a healthy blush that wasn't the only thing she could see down. The dress had a scoop neckline, exposing quite a bit of flesh in the process. Like it had its own gravitational force, the girl found her eyes going to the warm shadow of Fluttershy's cleavage. Just at the place where the valley of her breasts met her shirt's neckline, something else could be seen, shadowed, but visible. Apparently the pink-haired girl had chosen to wear a light green bra today.

Fluttershy was biting her lip, her brow wrinkled like she wasn't sure the picture would even come out right. Rainbow noted absently that Rarity could be seen smirking with arms crossed on a chair behind her in what had to be a cramped dressing room.

A short message was under the picture:

 **F: Rarity insisted I share. I look silly, don't I? I keep telling her this is a waste of time!**

Rainbow tried to type out a reply, but she only got as far as-

 **R: U look super gr8**

-before she feverishly deleted it all. When she tried to think of something cooler to say, her thoughts kept trailing off.

 _They're in the dressing room together? If I go, will they let me…?_

Rainbow slapped a hand to her forehead. "Get a grip, Dash!" she hissed.

Her phone buzzed again. She picked it up.

 **F: R u still there? Rarity just went into the lingerie department! Plz help?**

In one fluid movement, Rainbow Dash sat up, grabbed her shoes, hit the call button, and pressed her phone to her ear. It only rang once.

"Rainbow, thank goodness!" Fluttershy whispered hurriedly. Her voice was tight with panic. "I know you hate shopping, but _please_ —"

"Where are you guys?" Rainbow asked as she jammed a foot into a sneaker.


	10. Chapter 9

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 9

Sweetwater Mall was on the other end of the city, an almost thirty minute ride when accounting for traffic. It was far from campus and the area in which Fluttershy and Rarity lived. The shy girl thought of this with some dismay, for she was certain a commute back would hit rush hour. Even if they left now, there was a good chance she wouldn't get home for another hour. Her feet throbbed just at the thought.

Because the indoor mall was so massive, Rarity had little trouble finding enough stores to fill the eight hours they had been shopping. She was fueled by caffeine, sugar and pure stubbornness. She hid her bloodshot eyes with dark, trendy shades, but the rest of her showed little sign of her exhaustion. Her outfit was put together. Her hair was now properly styled. To passers-by, there was nothing that appeared out of the ordinary. At worst, Rarity came across as mildly eccentric. Fluttershy knew better. She could see all the signs that something was wrong: the muttering, the lack of focus, the impatience, the confusion.

Halfway through their outing, she tried to insist on leaving. By that point, she estimated that her friend had been awake for over twenty-eight staggering hours. At the suggestion of stopping, the other girl had this to say:

"Stop? Oh, but I can't!" Rarity frowned as she rifled through a clothing rack. "I think I'm starting to get some brilliant ideas just being here in the fashion wilds! This might have been just what I needed to get out of my creative quagmire." She paused to glance to the side before returning to her browsing. "Take that fellow to our left, for instance. Just the barest look at him, and I've already got an idea for a roguish men's coat that is sure to _bedazzle_ my instructors!"

Fluttershy's brow tensed with worry as she looked at the 'fellow' that had been indicated. "Rarity, that's a mannequin."

The fashionista peeked over her sunglasses when she looked again, then cleared her throat. "So it is. It's an inspiration nevertheless." She grabbed a dress off the rack and held it to her friend. "Try this on, would you?"

Fluttershy stepped away from the offered clothing. "Can we stop? _Please?_ You need to rest—!"

"Fluttershy, for the last time, I do not wish to return to the sorority house right now. Honestly, I am fine!"

"You are not fine! You are confusing inanimate objects with people!"

Rarity scoffed. "It was an honest mistake. If I didn't feel the need to wear these sunglasses, I would have seen it for what it was. And one should not throw stones in glass houses! After all, you confuse indie and hipster fashion all the time, but you don't see me criticizing you!"

"But you do criticize me!"

"Well can you blame me?" Rarity put a hand on her hip as she smiled in exasperation. "For heaven's sake, one style is forward thinking, the other is a reclamation of the past! They are not that hard to tell apart."

Fluttershy buried her face in her hands. "We are getting off topic."

Rarity shushed her as she opened her purse. "Shh, shh! I think my phone is ringing."

"But I don't hear anything."

"Maybe it's yours then?"

"No. It's not."

Rarity frowned and puckered her lips. Fluttershy could see her friend's eyes shift up behind her glasses as she paused to listen. She gave a small shake of her head.

"Ah. I suppose you are right, then. Maybe it's someone else in the store." Rarity then turned around and replaced the dress on the rack.

Ten minutes later, she'd return to the rack, pick the dress up again, and ask why it looked familiar.

Fluttershy was at a loss. She was fairly certain that Rarity would continue even if she wasn't there. This made departing without her companion no longer an option. She needed to be sure Rarity would be safe. That she would eventually get some rest.

 _If only she'd listen to me!_ Fluttershy thought unhappily. That morning, she was certain she had gotten through to her friend, but somehow something had triggered Rarity into this feverish mission to update Shy's wardrobe. She kept trying to rack her brain to think on what possibly could have inspired this, but the answer eluded her. The only thing she could identify was the general turning point.

 _I shouldn't have confided in her_. _She was fine until I started talking about myself!_

The small comforts that Fluttershy could find was that her friend was still (relatively) coherent, and while some of her behavior was off-balance, she still seemed to have some self-control. These things did add to the surreal quality of the situation, however. It was like talking to her friend while she was still dreaming, and yet there was no way to wake her up because she already _was_ awake.

They were now in the lingerie section of a high-end department store. Rarity was holding a rose colored babydoll to Fluttershy, her tongue caught between her teeth as she dared to peek her haggard red eyes over the rim of her dark glasses. The shy girl, meanwhile, was scanning their surroundings in the hopes of seeing a familiar head of rainbow hair. Split between both hands, she gripped four large shopping bags from other stores. It could have been more, had she not begged Rarity to reconsider.

"This looks charming on you, Fluttershy! I especially like the crochet lace and the mesh. It's more comfortable than most."

Fluttershy's spine curled. "Rarity, it's see-through!"

"So?"

A harried whisper: "And the cups are too small!"

Rarity smacked her tongue in irritation. "Fluttershy, darling, we've been over this. This _is_ your bra size. You just aren't used to the padding."

Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut. "Can we go somewhere else, at least? I don't want to be in this section when Rainbow comes!"

"I appreciate that your demure nature would otherwise make modeling lingerie an impossible proposition for you, but you must remember one thing!"

"What's that?"

" _I'm_ here. You needn't be scared! I wouldn't dare put you out there in anything short of something fabulous."

"Rarity, that doesn't make me feel better. Not one bit!"

"Well it should! We got Rainbow to come meet us with that picture, didn't we? Tell me the last time Rainbow Dash willingly went out shopping with us."

Fluttershy blushed. "Never?"

"Never. Exactly. Now come, come! To the dressing room! I daresay, if you don't try this on _this instant,_ I might have to resort to drastic measures."

Frightened of what those 'drastic measures' could possibly entail with Rarity's current state, she switched the shopping bags to one hand, and obediently took the babydoll before hurrying off to the dressing rooms.

* * *

Gooseflesh broke out over Fluttershy's skin as she undressed under the chill of the overhead air vent. She'd failed to notice it when choosing the stall. She shivered and hunched her shoulders. By the time she figured out why she felt colder than usual, she'd felt resigned to keep going. Redressing, only to go through the same process in another stall, was too bothersome an idea for her. As she picked up the babydoll with a grimace, her eyes flickered to the mirror. Fluttershy froze. She'd been avoiding looking too closely at herself since she'd started this strange and arduous shopping expedition. But with her hands gripping the hangar of a piece of clothing meant to show off her body, she couldn't help but pause and take stock of just what it would be advertising.

A little sigh escaped her lips as her eyes trailed up her pale legs to the violet panties that hugged low on her hips. Hanging between her breasts was the rainbow bolt necklace. Somehow, the size of the pendant made her chest look small. With a pout, she pinched her belly fat.

 _And people think being a vegetarian means you're always slim… Rarity is right. I should take up yoga again!_ Her mouth screwed up. _Maybe I need to cut out bread, too._

Fluttershy undid her light green bra's front clasp. She shivered again as her breasts were exposed to the cool air, her pink nipples going pert. Feeling far too exposed, she shed the green bra and hurried to take the rose-colored babydoll off the hangar. The lingerie piece consisted of the lacy bra cups, with a loose, flyaway mesh skirt flowing from the chest band. With pursed lips, Fluttershy unhooked the back and slipped the clothing over her head. After some awkward adjustments, the infernal item was clasped and the straps pulled over her shoulders.

She blinked at her reflection, a light blush rising to her cheeks. The mesh skirt barely stopped past her panties, though thanks to the mesh, they were perfectly visible. Fluttershy frowned, uncertain of how she felt. The piece fit her better than she had expected, and even her modest chubbiness was hidden under the clothing's design. Biting her lip, the girl turned to the side, straightening her spine and drawing her shoulders back. Fluttershy's eyebrows went high.

 _It's pretty!_

Her shoulders sagged, her brow tensing once again.

 _But it's not me._

"Fluttershy, are you done yet?" Rarity called.

"Yes," Fluttershy replied with a grimace.

"May I come in, then?"

She rubbed her arm, trying to smooth away her goosebumps. "I'm not sure."

There was a tight sigh on the other side of the door. Fluttershy could easily imagine Rarity pushing up her sunglasses to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Fluttershy, by your own admission you have stated that you are undecided. May I come in and provide my insights to help you break your uncertainty? Or will we converse through a stall door for the remainder of the evening?"

"Rarity, this is just so different from what I would wear!"

"A view you have shared with me _countless_ times today, and yet here we are with four shopping bags worth of treasures."

Fluttershy pouted, her fingers tugging at the end of the babydoll's skirt. She was getting very cold. She slipped off a strap, then reached for the other.

Rarity groaned at her silence. "What if I said this was the last of it, then? No more dressing rooms, no more clothing stores—"

The girl perked up. "You mean you'll go home and sleep?"

"No!" was the irritated reply. "But if you wish to stop shopping with me, we needn't continue. I only ask that my curiosity be satisfied."

Fluttershy wrung her hands. "Will you at least take a break?"

"If that is what it would take for you to open this blasted door, then yes. Now can we stop conversing in this crass manner? Please?"

The girl reached over and undid the lock. Rarity slipped in quickly, a scowl on her face.

"Finally," she grumbled as she locked the door again. She pulled off her glasses and looked Fluttershy up and down. A curling smile appeared on her face. "Flutters, you look stunning!"

The shy girl felt her skin flush with embarrassment. Her knees pressed together as she covered her chest with her arms. "But I'd never wear this!"

Rarity grabbed her wrists and gently encouraged them to the sides again. "The point isn't to wear it all the time, darling," she said with a smirk. "And certainly not for _anyone_." She cocked her head to the side, her eyebrow arching. "Imagine Rainbow's face if she saw this!"

"Saw what?" Rainbow's voice suddenly asked outside the stall door.

Both girls froze.

* * *

"R-Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy squeaked inside the stall.

Rainbow swallowed as another customer sidled past her to the other stalls, forcing her up against the door. "Uh." She cleared her throat and stepped back as soon as she was able. "Yeah. It's the one and only. What's up?"

"We're surprised is all," Rarity replied. "How did you find us so quickly?"

She shrugged, then realized they couldn't see this. "Fluttershy told me what store and what section you guys were in. When I didn't see you, I figured I'd ask somebody. I didn't feel like running all over the place in case I missed you. Then I heard your voices and...yeah."

"You got here fast!" Fluttershy exclaimed. Her voice sounded tight and higher than usual.

"The traffic is light coming towards the mall." Rainbow ran a hand through her hair and said, "So about that thing you guys were talking about me seeing?"

The door rattled. There was a squeal and a gasp. Furious whispers could be heard. A moment later and the stall door cracked open, revealing Rarity's shaded eyes and practiced smile.

"Fluttershy is reluctant to share the latest gem we've found," she said. "I keep telling her she's being silly, but she's quite adamant to keep her secrets. I had to promise her to finish our shopping expedition just to get a peek."

Rainbow Dash looked down at her sneakers, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "Oh. Well, no biggie. I was just curious since you guys said my name and all." She chuckled awkwardly. "Like I care about this kind of stuff."

Rarity's brow tensed at the dismissive reference to her life's pursuit, but this cleared when she gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh, but you did drive out all this way, didn't you? We can't just pack up and leave!"

"Rarity, you promised!" Fluttershy whined.

The fashionista turned to glance at the girl behind her. "I know what I promised." Rarity looked back at Rainbow Dash. "I was _going_ to ask Dashie if she's had dinner yet?"

Rainbow shook her head. "No."

"Wonderful!" Rarity beamed. "Let's all grab something down at the food court."

Fluttershy spoke up: "But Rarity, you hate the food court—ow!"

The stall door snapped shut. More whispers. Rainbow Dash rubbed at her neck as she squinted with one eye at the door.

Without warning, the stall opened, and out slipped a grinning Rarity. She pushed her glasses further up her nose and wiggled her fingers in a delicate hello.

"I'm off to powder my nose," she said. "I'll meet you and Flutters by the Japanese vendor?"

Rainbow blinked. "Sure?"

"Marvelous. See you there!" And away she went, her practiced gait feeling…off.

"Is she gone?" Fluttershy asked after a moment.

Rainbow looked at the stall distractedly. "Yeah." She looked back after Rarity. "Hey, Shy…why is she wearing those sunglasses?"

A moment later, the door cracked open, and Fluttershy dared to peek out, just one eye and a sliver of her face visible. "Um. Rarity hasn't slept in over thirty hours," she said with a wince.

Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide. "Th-thirty hours!" she exclaimed. "Why has she been awake that long!? You could've mentioned this on the phone!"

Her friend quailed. "You hung up before I could say anything!"

Rainbow blushed. In hindsight, she _had_ been in a bit of a hurry.

"Have you tried to get her to go back to sleep?" she asked with a huff.

"Oh my goodness, _yes!_ I've tried begging, and pleading, and beseeching, and asking politely and—"

The athlete let her head fall back to groan dramatically up at the ceiling.

Fluttershy's eye vanished from sight behind her pink hair. "I'm sorry…"

Rainbow could feel an ache flare up in her head. She'd been hoping for an amusing way to kill time before the project session, not a new problem to fix. "And why are you shopping with her if you know she's this tired, anyhow?" she asked as she rubbed at her temple.

"She was adamant. She wanted to buy me new clothes so that—" the other girl broke off, her eye widening.

With a snap, the stall door shut, making Rainbow Dash jump.

"Fluttershy?" she called. When she received no reply, she knocked on the door. "Hey, Flutters? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing! I'm going to get changed so we can leave."

"So what's the latest 'gem' Rarity found for you, anyway?" Rainbow asked innocently. What Fluttershy couldn't see was that she was fidgeting on the spot.

A long pause. "Um…a babydoll?"

"You mean one of those bras with the skirts?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Rainbow cleared her throat and tapped her feet. Her heart had quickened in her chest. "Well, I mean…she seemed to think you looked good in it, right?"

"Y-yeah…"

"You, uh, want a second opinion? Maybe?" Rainbow winced and added hurriedly. "If you don't, that's cool. No skin off my nose, y'know? Fashion isn't my thing."

"I… I don't know," was the shaky reply. Yet there was no sound of movement in the stall.  
Rainbow Dash bit her lip, her eyes ticking back and forth as she tried to dredge up a solution. Her eyes lit up.

"Fluttershy," she said with a smirk. "How about this…" She crouched down and reached a fist under the stall door. "Rock, paper, scissors. Best out of three. If I win, you let me see what you're wearing. If I lose, you get changed, and we leave without another word about it."

"Rainbow—"

"Come on. I'm not that good at this game, remember?" Rainbow Dash's smirk morphed into a grin.

She could practically hear her friend thinking.

There was some movement on the other side, as well as the sound of a zipper. For a second, Rainbow wondered if her gamble hadn't paid off—that Fluttershy was, in fact, getting dressed, and she'd open the door to see the tomboy crouching with her fist held out like a moron. The idea made her grin fade.

Then Fluttershy's fist slipped out from beneath the stall door. It was trembling.

Rainbow's heartbeat was in her throat, but she was smiling so broadly her face ached. "Awesome! All right, go _on_ three. Like last time."

"O-okay," Fluttershy said breathlessly.

Their fists bobbed in unison as Rainbow counted: "One, two, _three!_ "

She threw scissors. Fluttershy threw the same. The athlete nodded with satisfaction.

If throwing rock first was out of the question, as her friend had explained to her Monday, then that meant a number of things. First, if Fluttershy expected her to follow this tip, then no one could be expected to throw paper. If neither threw rock or paper, then that left only one safe option to start with.

 _But what will she throw next?_ Rainbow's brow wrinkled. _I could throw scissors again, but what if she switches to rock?_ She exhaled hard. _Man, this game is harder than it looks!_

"Rainbow, are you ready?" Fluttershy asked.

"Um. Sure. Let's go. One, two, three!"

Paper beat rock. Rainbow won.

She let out a relieved breath. "Sweet! All right, again. One, two, three!"

Scissors beat paper. Fluttershy won.

"Damn!" Rainbow hissed. She pulled her fist back and rubbed her temple. "Give me a sec."

"Okay…"

The athlete knuckled her eyes as she tried to focus her thoughts. _Chill, Dash. You got this. What did Shy say that other night? 'It's about reading your opponent?'_ She chewed her lip. _I have to think like Fluttershy. So…how does she think?_ A growl erupted from her throat as the seconds stretched by.

"Rainbow, are you all right?" Fluttershy asked nervously.

"Just give me a second," Rainbow snapped.

"S-sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Rainbow sighed. "No. My bad. I shouldn't have—" she broke off, her body stiffening.

 _Fluttershy is insecure. If you feel like that…you go for the safe option. What feels safe to her right now? First she threw scissors, then rock, then scissors again…so maybe…_

"I'm ready," Rainbow said with a determined frown.

Fluttershy silently put her fist back out. They bobbed their fists three times.

Rainbow threw scissors. Fluttershy threw paper.

The tomboy struck the door with an excited cheer. "Yes!" When her friend's hand whipped back under the door, she blushed hard. "Er, I-I mean… Whatever. I won. Cool. You want a second to catch your breath?"

There was a pitiful mewl in the stall.

Rainbow hung her head. _Shoulda known she'd still be too scared to go through with it…_ She stood to her feet with a sigh. "Look if you don't wanna do it, I won't get mad. Either way, Rarity is gonna be waiting."

She pursed her lips and pulled out her phone, intent on distracting herself somehow.

That's about when she heard the stall door unlock.

* * *

Fluttershy pressed herself up against the wall, her face covered with both hands, and her shoulders brushing her earlobes as she stood coiled with fear. She was wearing pants. Before Rainbow had put forth the idea of playing the game, she had put them on with the intent of removing the babydoll next. Now that she had lost the bet, she was grateful she'd managed to get them on. It was the only way she could have gone through with things.

The girl flinched, a small whimper escaping her as the stall door creaked open, and she heard Rainbow enter.

"Fluttershy?" she heard her friend murmur.

Fluttershy jumped when she felt Rainbow Dash's hands touch her wrists, her heart skipping a beat.

"Woah, easy there!" Rainbow said. She gently encouraged Fluttershy's hands away from her face. In response, Shy ducked her head to let her hair curtain forward.

A snort. "Fluttershy, it's _me_. I can't see how the thing really looks on you if you keep cringing like that!"

"I can't help it," the shy girl whined. "It's hard enough letting Rarity in here, and she's been fitting me for clothes since freshman year of high school!"

"What would make you feel better, then?"

"I don't know…"

A rough sigh. Fluttershy felt Rainbow let go of her wrists. She heard a rustle, then something hit the floor.

Confused, she dared to peek through her hair. Her eyes widened as her body flushed with sudden heat.

Rainbow had removed her hoodie and t-shirt, leaving her in just a black sports bra. She put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow high.

"All right. Now we're even." She reached over and grabbed Fluttershy's forearm, pulling her over toward the mirror with a firm hand. "So let's take a look in the mirror."

"R-Rainbow—!" Fluttershy gasped. She found herself staring wide-eyed at her own reflection as Rainbow Dash put an arm over her shoulders and pressed her to her side.

"See?" The athlete said with a grin. "It's not so bad!" With her other hand, she reached over and brushed back Fluttershy's long hair, making her companion tremble. With the animal lover's hair pulled away, and her arms pinned to her sides, the babydoll was finally clear to see. That wasn't the only thing.

Rainbow Dash frowned at the reflection, her eyes falling to Fluttershy's chest. "Hey, is that…?"

Fluttershy gave a start, her eyes dropping to the necklace. "Oh!" She touched the pendant and held it out.

Rainbow took it carefully. "This is what I got for your birthday in senior year!" She smiled softly. "I don't think I've ever seen you wear it."

Fluttershy's lips quirked into a shaky smile. "I was keeping it somewhere safe until now."

Rainbow Dash carefully set the pendant back against her companion's chest. Her eyes were lidded as her gaze returned to Fluttershy's reflection. She smirked. "It looks awesome on you."

Fluttershy let her chin lower. "Thank you."

Her breath caught when Rainbow's fingers softly touched her chin, making her lift her head again. Their eyes met in the mirror.

" _You_ look awesome," Rainbow said quietly. "All of you."

Their gazes held. Fluttershy could hear her heartbeat in her ears, her face a bright red. Her skin burned, the flesh hypersensitive where their bodies made contact. Her stomach clenched.

She thought about running out of the stall as fast as she could.

 _Is this really happening?_

Rainbow raised a wiry arm and flexed a bicep with a cocky grin. "Not as awesome as me, of course!"

Fluttershy let go of the breath she'd been holding, cool relief pooling into her stomach.

 _It is happening_ , she thought with a little smile. She cringed when the other girl ruffled her hair teasingly, but managed a weak laugh. _And it feels okay. I feel okay with Rainbow Dash._

 _Maybe we really can be together!_

* * *

When she entered the stall, Rainbow Dash hoped that Fluttershy failed to notice that she had started to sweat bullets; or that her heart was playing her ribs like a xylophone; or that her breathing had turned shaky and uneven. She knew her friend was far outside her comfort zone. None of the typical assurances would work. So, at a loss, Rainbow had asked:

"What would make you feel better, then?"

"I don't know…"

But it was an answer of a sort. She could leave. Get out. Convince Fluttershy that she had in fact, seen very little. That things were still the same as it always had been between them. That was the safe thing. Fluttershy liked safe.

Sassaflash's words echoed in Rainbow Dash's head tauntingly, keeping her feet planted:

 _I think you're content to maintain the status quo._

She could run, or she could stay. She had pushed it this far without the situation falling apart. Did she really dare to push her luck? How did this play into her plans of getting Fluttershy to do her work?

Rainbow stiffened. _Oh yeah… That. How could I forget about that?_

Maybe if Blaze could comment on the situation, he'd be heartless enough to suggest doing something forward. A kiss maybe. An amorous hug. Something to prey on Fluttershy's emotions while she was, quite literally, vulnerable.

Rainbow frowned at the other girl, who stood slouched with her face hidden behind her pink hair, her shoulders rosy from her discomfort.

It was true that Rainbow Dash could leave, to maintain the status quo. It was true that she could probably force herself on her friend, and receive very little resistance in response. Doing the latter would dramatically increase her leverage if it didn't backfire. But Rainbow Dash didn't want to do any of those things. She wanted her friend to feel safe… _with_ her. So she did the only thing she could think of:

She stripped down to her sports bra and put her friend in front of the mirror with her.

It wasn't until _afterwards_ that it occurred to Rainbow that this too, could have freaked Fluttershy out, but in that moment, all she had cared about was trying to make things feel even. If anything, she'd hoped the gesture would have come across as genuine. Rainbow knew how weird it could be when one was half-naked with everyone else fully clothed. It had been a discomfort she'd had to overcome years ago when she was team captain in high school.

She had often been the last one to get dressed after everyone else had done so, and it was normal for some of her teammates to linger and chatter while she stood among them in her underwear. A person felt exposed that way. Sensitive to attention. The only time she had ever felt better in those first few weeks was when there was someone else changing clothes as well. It had meant she wasn't alone.

So when Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy both stood in front of the mirror, Rainbow made an effort to act casual. That became easier when she realized she didn't need to fish for things to say—her friend was wearing a perfectly good conversation piece around her neck. The jewelry had surprised the athlete, and pleasantly so.

"It looks awesome on you," Rainbow said. She had a warm, buoyant feeling in her chest.

"Thank you."

Fluttershy dipped her head down, but not all the way. She wasn't hiding anymore. The feeling in Rainbow's chest swelled, moving her to take a chance.

Her next words came easily, and without guile:

" _You_ look awesome. All of you."

As their gazes held in the reflection, Rainbow felt her breathing slow and deepen, the tension slowly fading from her shoulders. She couldn't even feel the ache in her head. The warmth from where Fluttershy pressed up against her side felt very good. It was like she was becoming sleepy, but she knew better. Her palms were still sweating. Her heart was still beating hard in her chest.

She knew what this was. She just didn't expect to be feeling it. Here. Now.

And because she knew acting on these feelings would only bring her trouble, she decided to break the spell of her own volition.

She flexed a bicep and grinned. "Not as awesome as me, of course!" Then she ruffled Fluttershy's hair. As they pulled away from each other, she could see the relief in her friend's eyes. That was when she knew her instincts had been right.

Rainbow Dash pulled her shirt back on and grabbed her jacket. She glanced at her friend. "I'll wait for you outside. Were you gonna get that babydoll?"

Fluttershy, who had already resumed covering herself (this time by crossing her arms over her chest) shook her head. "No. It's not my style. I only put it on because Rarity insisted."

Rainbow Dash nodded and turned away. "All right. I'll meet you at the front of the store then."  
She opened the stall door and carefully slipped out. It wasn't until she was out of the fitting rooms and halfway across the store that she allowed the massive grin to spread on her lips.

* * *

They met outside the store, and together they made their way to the food court.  
Rainbow's hands slipped into her pockets. "Man, I gotta say. For someone who's been awake as long as she has, Rarity doesn't look that bad."

Fluttershy nodded. "She hides it well. No one else seems to notice anything off about her."

"She's scary good at playing it off. You think she does it often?"

"Staying up?" Fluttershy's face tensed with worry. "Goodness, I hope not! It's really unhealthy! I still remember the time you and Applejack tried to see who could stay up the longest."

Rainbow snickered. "Oh man! If Rarity had been competing with me and AJ back in high school, she would have won, hands down! I'd only managed to stay awake for twenty-five hours. Applejack couldn't get past twenty-two." She squinted her eyes, her humor fading. "What is Rarity's _deal_ anyway? If she was staying up for school, I might buy that. But she's just out here shopping with you!"

"She was having a nervous breakdown this morning," Fluttershy explained wearily. "I went to comfort her, and for a moment it looked like she was going to be fine…but then I accidentally set her off again. I'm not exactly sure how." The shy girl exhaled shakily. "Rainbow, I'm worried about her!"

Rainbow patted her back, a reassuring smile on her lips. "Hey. Don't worry. I think I have an idea."

Fluttershy looked at her, her eyes wide with hope. "Really? Oh please tell me!"

The other girl let out a low chuckle. "Well, do you remember when it was that I passed out in school that day we did that contest?"

"Um… Around lunch?"

Rainbow nodded slowly, her smile curling at the tips. "And Applejack fell asleep during first period."

"Rainbow, I feel that you're going somewhere with this, but I don't see where."

Rainbow Dash patted her stomach. "It was the _food_ , Flutters! Applejack always has those _huge_ country breakfasts, and I had a monster-sized lunch! Nurse Redheart explained it to us later—y'know, after chewing us out—that it was because our bodies were _so low_ on energy, that just the process of digesting food was enough to force us into sleep." She gestured ahead, where the food court could be seen getting closer. "If we can get Rarity to eat a full meal, she'll pass out within the hour. I guarantee it."

Fluttershy nodded, a little smile on her lips. "That's a good idea! Rarity has only been snacking here and there. The biggest thing she had was a bagel this morning, but she had that with two cups of coffee."

"Awesome. Maybe we can get her to try a sushi platter or something." She wagged a finger. "But don't let her on to why we want her to eat. It doesn't matter _what_ she gets. It could be made of sugar and coffee—by this point, even trying to process that could be enough to get her into a food coma."

"And if it doesn't?"

Rainbow shrugged as they entered the forest of tables and chairs at the heart of the food court. "Then it'll take a bit more time, but she'll eventually crash, and she'll still go to sleep. The point is, so long as she eats enough, she'll go down."

They crossed the food court and headed toward the Japanese vendor, where Rarity could be seen standing with hip cocked, her phone pressed to her ear. As they approached, she waved at them distractedly, her mouth screwing up as she ended her call.

"Something wrong?" Rainbow asked.

"I called Pinkie again," Rarity said. "Honestly, it's been _days!_ "

"Pinkie Pie has gone missing. No one can reach her," Fluttershy clarified at Rainbow's bemused look.

Rarity looked up with a start. "Oh! My goodness, I apologize! Here I was speaking as if you had already been appraised of the situation."

Rainbow Dash shrugged her brow furrowed. "No big deal. How long has Pinkie been missing?"

"Two days!" Rarity huffed. She gestured at her phone irately. "At this point, I can only think that she is avoiding my calls! I must have left her over a dozen voicemails by now."

"I'm sure she's fine."

"Well she had better be," Rarity seethed as she angrily stuffed her phone back into her purse. "I still remember that color spell Sunset Shimmer taught me. I'd like to see how funny she thinks being colored pink from head to toe would be!"

"She'd probably love it," Rainbow muttered to Fluttershy out of the corner of her mouth. The other girl ducked her head to hide her amused smile.

Rarity flipped her hair back and took a deep breath. "Well, ladies? Any ideas on what to eat?"

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash exchanged looks.

"Do we have to eat at the same place?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity pouted. "I know we're in this tacky little food court, but it's no fun if we all just split apart again!"

"Where do _you_ want to eat, Rarity?" Fluttershy asked.

The fashionista tapped her chin in thought, her eyes scanning the food vendors. She froze when her eyes fell on one across from where they stood.

"Ice cream," she said with a sudden smile. "I would like some ice cream."

Rainbow looked at Fluttershy, and was confused to see her slouch.

"A-are you sure?" she asked, her voice bordering on a squeak.

"Oh my, yes! I could use with a pick-me-up." Rarity looked apologetically at Rainbow Dash. "Though I suppose that isn't a very good dinner, is it?"

Rainbow shook her head. "No way! That sounds fine." She jerked her head. "Come on. I could use with a double scoop of butterscotch anyway."

As they started for the ice cream vendor, Fluttershy fell into step next to her, with Rarity behind.  
"Rainbow—!" she hissed.

"Relax!" Rainbow snapped under her breath. "It doesn't matter if it's sugary, remember?"

"You don't understand," was the harried reply.

"What is it?"

Fluttershy opened her mouth to say something, but then she snapped it shut again. In the next instant, Rarity had appeared at Rainbow's other side.

"I was thinking of a scoop of vanilla myself," she said merrily. She peeked over her glasses at Fluttershy. Rainbow's eyes widened some to see how red and swollen they were. "And what will _you_ get, Fluttershy dear?" Rarity asked.

"Strawberry?" Fluttershy said with a wince. "I don't know."

Rainbow elbowed her and gave her a look that said, _Will you buck up? Geez! She might realize we're up to something!_

They stopped in front of the vendor and got into the short line.

"You better think of something in a second," Rainbow said pointedly. "The line is moving fast." Then, after a quick scan of the overhead menu, she said innocently to Rarity: "So Rare, have you ever tried the sherbet sundae here? My vice captain tells me it's pretty awesome…"

* * *

Getting ice cream. It should have been simple enough.

Only it wasn't.

Rarity was still trying to play matchmaker. Fluttershy could see it in her friend's eyes. Ice cream was her oldest trick—not for herself, but for the animal lover. Back before Shy had revealed her interest in Rainbow Dash, there had been occasions when they had run into boys during their visits to the mall. If Rarity got it into her head that one of the boys was interested in Fluttershy, she'd suggest they all get ice cream. Her reasoning was that the shy girl possessed an effortless grace and femininity that shone best when she was eating something simple.

 _That, and you have a mouth to die for!_ Rarity had tittered. _Better to bring all the attention to our best assets, don't you think?_

But Fluttershy didn't _want_ to bring more attention to herself. She had hit her limit on being in the spotlight, and while her meddlesome friend had no idea of what happened after she'd left the clothing store, it still frustrated her that Rarity would insist on scene-setting Fluttershy's time with Rainbow Dash.

She would have suggested eating elsewhere, but she was dismayed to see that her entrapment was on two sides. Rainbow was intent on carrying out her plan to get Rarity to eat enough to fall asleep. Since the fashionista had claimed to want ice cream, there was no way for Fluttershy to easily explain that this was _not_ actually the case, especially without giving away the athlete's plan.

Resigned to her fate, Fluttershy ordered a scoop of butterscotch ice cream. When Rainbow mentioned it, she figured it sounded better than strawberry. Her sporty friend also managed to convince Rarity to try the sherbet sundae with a promise that she would 'help finish it' if the other girl became too full. The soccer player ordered a double scoop of butterscotch as she'd said she would.

They all sat down at a nearby table. Rarity dug into her sherbet sundae with more eagerness than Fluttershy would have expected. Rainbow Dash ate her treat in silence. The girl supposed this was smart. If they started a conversation, Rarity might not eat as much, and certainly not as quickly.

The problem was, that meant Fluttershy had to eat her ice cream…and she didn't want to. She could feel Rarity start to give her looks across the table, and even Rainbow Dash was glancing impatiently at her.

 _What do I do?_

Fluttershy lifted the frozen treat to her lips, but in that moment, both of her friends looked her way, and her arm faltered.

"Fluttershy, you should eat before your ice cream melts!" Rarity scolded at her hesitation.

The girl quailed, her wrist turning just slightly, making the ice cream tip. She instinctively caught herself with a start, turning her hand right again, when her eyes glazed with sudden epiphany.  
When neither of the other girls were looking, Fluttershy dropped her ice cream onto the floor.

"Oh! I seem to have dropped my ice cream," she said with wooden surprise. She chuckled nervously as they stared at her. Clearing her throat, she popped up to her feet. "I'm going to get some napkins and clean up."

"Let me help you!" Rarity said with a fake smile.

Fluttershy paused, her expression falling as the fashionista hurried over and laced arms with her.

As they walked to the ice cream vendor, Rarity leaned in to hiss, "Fluttershy, what on _earth_ are you doing?"

"I appreciate that you want to help me with Rainbow, Rarity, but I would like to do things _my_ way!" Fluttershy whispered back with a frown. It softened as she added, "I-if you don't mind, that is." When they got to the vendor, she began plucking out single napkin sheets from the dispenser.

After several seconds of this, Rarity ground her teeth and curled her fingers like she wanted to claw out Fluttershy's eyes. The shy girl paused to shrink, her eyes flashing with fear. Her friend managed to reign in her frustration with clenched fists and a deep breath. Snatching the dispenser away, she pulled out a small stack of napkins and grabbed Fluttershy by the elbow.

"You are _impossible_ sometimes!" Rarity fumed through tight lips as she pulled the other girl behind her.

Fluttershy looked down at her passing shoes. "Sorry…"

Back at their table, she took the napkins from Rarity and proceeded to clean up. When the fashionista sat down at the table, Rainbow glared at her.

"I thought you said you were gonna help her?" she asked.

Rarity made a face as she adjusted her sunglasses. "What? You mean wipe up sticky ice cream off these filthy floors like some common janitor? Don't be silly!" She took her spoon and primly scooped up some of her sundae.

Fluttershy blushed and tried to hurry her cleanup, but when she grabbed the cone and lifted, the ice cream scoop remained stuck to the floor. She tried to pick the scoop up with the cone, but it was starting to melt fast, and so it began to slide. Even when she tried to push it in with her thumb, she only succeeded in smearing it around.

"Geez, I can't watch anymore!" Rainbow cried out with exasperation. She stood from her seat and approached, making Fluttershy stare up at her in surprise.

The athlete crouched down, grabbed the melting ice cream scoop with her bare hand, and took it to the nearby trash. She returned with her cone outstretched, a scowl on her face. "Take mine!" she snapped. "I'll clean up the rest. My hand's already gross anyway."

Fluttershy shook her head frantically at the offered ice cream. "Rainbow, I can't take yours!"

"You want a new flavor instead? I could get you—"

"No, that's not… I don't want to get a new cone."

"O-kay…? Is it a money thing?"

Fluttershy flinched. She still couldn't explain the real reasons why. "It's not a money thing, Rainbow. Please. That's _your_ ice cream."

Rainbow shrugged. "I got too much. Turns out one scoop is my limit. Here, just have a little! I barely touched the second scoop. I ate it going down."

Fluttershy still didn't move, her brow wrinkling. She hated to refuse such a generous offer, even if it was under a pretense. It felt rude. She couldn't even say she didn't like the flavor because she'd ordered butterscotch for herself. Yet the fact remained that she didn't want to eat any ice cream in front of Rainbow Dash.

Frozen by indecision, she sat and stared.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. She crouched down and muttered through her teeth. "Take. The. Ice. Cream." She nodded her head discreetly toward Rarity, her eyebrows going high. When Fluttershy still failed to take it, Rainbow leaned in closer and whispered, "Look, it's just to keep Rarity from smelling a rat! You know she hates eating by herself. I was serious about not wanting anymore." With that, she thrust the cone at Fluttershy, who took it with a grimace.

Rainbow Dash proceeded to clean up the rest of the mess. Fluttershy sat down and glanced over at Rarity, who was smirking at her. Her sundae was two-thirds done.

Fluttershy sighed heavily, the resignation making her sag in her seat.

Lifting up Rainbow's ice cream cone, she proceeded to eat.

* * *

Rainbow made a face as she wiped up the last of the mess on the floor. She'd needed to use all the napkins Rarity had brought. She took them to the trash and left briefly to wash her hands at the restroom. When she returned to their table, it was to find Rarity had finished her sundae, despite her prior claims that she couldn't. She was leaning on the table with her chin in her hand, idly playing with her phone. Though her eyes were concealed, Rainbow detected an air of languidness about her. Fluttershy, meanwhile, was finally eating her ice cream, albeit very slowly.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow as she crossed her arms. She knew Shy was a dainty eater, but had she always eaten ice cream that way? So careful. So delicate.

So _slow_.

The athlete couldn't even remember the last time she'd had ice cream with her friends, but she was certain Fluttershy's method must have annoyed her back then too. At this rate, the treat was going to turn into a new puddle for them to clean up.

 _Seriously, who eats this way? It's like she's teasing it when she flicks her tongue like that. Is she afraid of getting it on her face or something?_ Rainbow squinted one eye. _Man, I never realized she had such a long tongue. Oh wait…not long enough. She got it on her bottom lip…_ Her cheeks burned. _Crap. She's pouting. The look is even better when she's eating. That shouldn't be possible._ Her eyes widened. _Now she's… Now she's licking her lips._ Rainbow uncrossed her arms, her expression lengthening. _The ice cream is melting too fast. It's getting on her fingers._

She went to sit next to her friend in a hurry, saying as she did so: "Fluttershy, you gotta bite it, or—"

"Hmm?" Fluttershy sucked on her index finger and looked at Rainbow distractedly. Rainbow's mouth hung open, but nothing came out. The ice cream dripped on Fluttershy's lap, and she let out a little huff of frustration. Her finger popped free from her mouth, glistening wet, as she held a hand under her cone. "Rainbow, could you get me some more napkins, please?"

Rainbow Dash started to rise to her feet again. "Um, sure." She pointed at one side of the ice cream. "Y'know, that side is about to—" she broke off as she saw a large glob begin to slip down the side of the cone. It was going to fall onto Fluttershy's skirt and probably leave a stain. Rainbow quickly leaned in without thinking, just as the other girl began to lift the cone.

Everything froze.

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened, her body still in an awkward half-risen position from her seat, her mouth on the back of Fluttershy's fingers. She pulled away and looked at her friend. The other girl was staring at her with wide eyes, her body stiff and her face red. Rainbow hurriedly stepped away. She could feel her own blush burning hot on her skin.

"That, um…" She rubbed the back of her neck and took a step back. "You moved the cone at the last second—" Rainbow started to backpedal as she thumbed over her shoulder. "I-I'll just get the napkins!"

She turned on her heel and jogged away, a look of disturbance on her face.

 _What…just…happened!?_

* * *

Fluttershy was aware that the ice cream was still dripping onto her clothes, but she couldn't bring herself to pay it any mind right at that moment. The skin of her fingers was tingling, and she felt ready to spontaneously combust.

 _Her mouth touched my hand..._

She kept repeating this thought over and over. It was almost too much to comprehend.

 _Rainbow Dash's mouth touched my hand!_

"R-Rarity," she wheezed as she watched Rainbow grab a napkin dispenser across the way. "Wh-what… What just happened!?" No response. Fluttershy turned in her seat. Her eyebrows rose. "Rarity?"

The fashionista had slumped over the table, and she was snoring softly.


	11. Chapter 10

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 10

"I'm astonished she just passed out like that!" Fluttershy exclaimed from the backseat of Rainbow's car. Rarity's head was laying in her lap as they made the long drive back through city traffic. They had the top of the convertible up to help keep the road noise out.

Rainbow Dash grinned at Fluttershy in the rearview mirror. "I _told_ you it would work." She returned her eyes to the road. "She practically keeled over!"

The shopping bags were in the trunk of the car. Fluttershy already intended on returning everything on another day; one where she wasn't completely exhausted, and her friend wasn't in immediate need of her attention. She hated to return gifts, but Rarity had spent an exceptional amount of money on credit—almost three hundred dollars worth. The fashionista hadn't been in her right mind at the time. It would be selfish to keep the clothes under such circumstances.

Fluttershy frowned down at the sleeping girl in her lap, her hand carefully brushing back a lock of indigo hair. "I wish I knew what was going on with her. I thought I knew when we talked this morning but…she must have been holding something back."

Rainbow shrugged, the grin gone from her face. "Who knows? Sometimes people just want to keep secrets."

The animal lover shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "True."

Silence fell between them. Fluttershy bit her lip as she snuck a look at Rainbow Dash. From where she sat on the right side of the back seat, she could see the side of Rainbow's face, but not much of it. The other girl was focused on driving, the traffic stop and go. She tapped the steering wheel impatiently to the beat of an anthemic rock song playing low over the front speakers.

Fluttershy touched the tri-color lightning bolt pendant on her chest, her fingers tracing the edge of the metal. Rainbow's voice stirred in her head:

You _look awesome. All of you._

The girl shivered and let her hand drop, her gaze turning to the window.

When they arrived at the Delta Alpha Kappa house, Rainbow parked the car as close as she could on the full street, then started the process of retracting the convertible's top. While they waited for the car to convert, Rainbow turned in her seat and asked, "So you think maybe Rare and Pinks had a fight?"

Fluttershy's brow tensed. "It seems unlikely. Rarity seems genuinely confused, and it's not like Pinkie to hold a grudge against anyone!"

"She might be at the sorority house. It'd be nice to ask her what's up," Rainbow muttered. "If she's not there, Rarity might just snap again."

"I should have asked if Rarity wanted to stay at my house tonight," Fluttershy lamented. "Now that I think about it, she kept saying over and over, 'I don't want to go back to the _sorority house_ right now.' Maybe she doesn't want to go back because she knows Pinkie isn't there?"

Rainbow made a face. "Why would that keep her from wanting to sleep, though?"

Fluttershy shrugged helplessly.

The car's top finished retracting. Rainbow Dash rose from her place and folded both the front seats over. When she was finished, she knelt down in the rear floor space and raised her eyebrows at the animal lover.

"Ready?" she asked.

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes."

"Cool." Rainbow took a breath and gestured at Rarity's head. "Lift her a little so that I can get my arm underneath."

After a minute of coordinated effort, they were out of the car, and Rarity was in Rainbow's arms. The fashionista had her head on the athlete's shoulder, her body curled up like a child. Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, seemed unfazed by the task of carrying her slim friend. She walked steadily and confidently with her head raised, striking quite the heroic figure as they proceeded up the path to the double doors of the Victorian sorority house. The windows were dark.

"Looks like no one is here," Rainbow commented on the porch.

Fluttershy rubbed one arm. "Someone might still be up in their room?"

"Guess we'll see…"

They rang the doorbell and waited. Shy stole sidelong glances at her companions. Rarity's purse was on her shoulder. That unpleasant, worm-like feeling had returned in her gut, and she tried her best to ignore it. Fluttershy knew Rarity was asleep, and the other girl certainly had no interest in being carried around by the soccer player, but in a way, that made the feeling worse.

 _Maybe there's something to be said of the 'damsel in distress' approach? Rarity earned plenty of dates that way…_ Then she grimaced. _What am I thinking? I'm a horrible actress. I'd just make a fool of myself!_

Her thoughts were interrupted when, through the panes of the double doors, she could see movement in the darkness. Within the next instant, the lights for the foyer blinked on, and Fluttershy saw it was Junebug in her pajamas.

The sorority sister opened the left-most door, her eyes landing on Rarity.

Instead of the surprise Fluttershy expected, Junebug just rolled her eyes. "Geez. _Again?_ " She stepped aside, pulling the door open wider. "All right. Bring in the sleeping beauty."

Rainbow and Fluttershy looked at each other in surprise. Neither took a step forward.

"Um. Pardon my asking but…is it _normal_ for Rarity to come in like this?" Shy asked.

Junebug put her hand on her hip, and snorted. "Is it normal? No way! But is it _frequent?_ For the last two months it sure has been! It happens at least once a week and it drives us nuts. She falls asleep somewhere weird on campus, then we get a call to go get her. Pinkie is the one who usually does it."

"What the what?" Rainbow sputtered. "Rarity's been doing this for two months?" Her expression tightened. "She's been doing this for _two months_ and nobody has tried to get her to stop? Don't you people pledge to take care of each other?"

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "R-Rainbow Dash—!"

"Hey!" Junebug spat. She stepped into the doorway and jabbed a finger into Rainbow's face, making the tomboy scowl. "We tried talking to her, all right? Even Pinkie tried, and they're supposed to be close friends! She won't listen to _anybody_. Right now, _we're_ the only reason she hasn't gotten in trouble with the chapter president." Junebug shook her head and crossed her arms, worry twisting her features for the first time. "But I don't think we can keep it up much longer. Eventually, she's going to get called into a disciplinary meeting. We're probably even going to get assigned a house director. We haven't had one of those since the 60s." The girl gave Rainbow a dirty look. "So don't act like we don't care. We have plenty to lose, and we're still doing our best, okay? That's hard when someone doesn't want to be helped. And don't even get me started on the nightmares!"

Fluttershy wrung her hands. "Nightmares?" she asked.

Junebug nodded, her mouth a grim line. "Yeah." She stepped aside again. "Bring her inside. I'll explain."

They crossed the threshold and the sorority sister shut the door behind them. She led them up the stairs, glancing back as she talked all the while: "Rarity doesn't have nightmares every night, but when she does…hoo boy!" Junebug sighed as they came to their friends' door. "Pinkie is quick to calm her down, but she's still not back from wherever she's gone and vanished to…"

"That's why she didn't want to come back and sleep," Fluttershy said with a sad look at Rarity's sleeping face. "She's scared!"

"But of _what?_ " Rainbow said with a look of impatience. "Did Rarity ever say what she was having nightmares about?"

Junebug shrugged, making the athlete groan.

"Sorry," the sorority sister said. "All I usually hear is her shouting and crying. I think Pinkie is the only one who got anywhere in figuring out the 'why' of it, but when we asked her, she said she had to keep it a secret."

"Of course she did," Rainbow muttered.

Junebug just shrugged again and opened the bedroom door. She turned on the light and moved aside to let Rainbow Dash carry Rarity in. Fluttershy started to follow, but Junebug touched her arm, making her pause.

"Hey," the other girl said. "Thanks for bringing her in. Sorry for being sarcastic earlier. It's just frustrating, y'know? I consider Rarity a friend, but she doesn't open up to me. I just kind of deal with the aftermath all the time." She grimaced and looked down at her bare feet. "It gets hard not feeling bitter about that."

Fluttershy stole a glance at Rainbow Dash, who was waiting for her next to Rarity's bed to pull back the covers. She held up a finger to the athlete and mouthed, _one_ _sec._ Then she turned, and without hesitation, she hugged Junebug. The sorority girl stiffened under her embrace, but in the next instant, she relaxed and returned it.

"It's okay," Fluttershy murmured. "I think I know how that feels." She pulled away and smiled reassuringly. "I've been trying to deal with Rarity all day, and I felt out of my depth. It worries me, because she never had a problem talking to me in the past. I can only think that whatever she's going through must be very difficult for her to talk about if she can only share with certain people."

Junebug nodded, a grateful smile on her lips. She gestured at Rainbow Dash. "Look, I don't mean to keep you guys. I'll keep an eye on Rarity, okay? So don't worry." She turned to leave, but paused and looked at Fluttershy. "Oh. Yeah. And I still didn't forget about this morning. You have my number right?"

Shy blinked. "Um, yes?"

"Cool. Text me your address. I'll send flowers, like I promised." Junebug winked and returned to her room, further down the hall.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to say that was unnecessary, but when Rainbow cleared her throat behind her, she refrained and went to her friend. _It'll be nice to have something brighten up the house, I suppose_ , she thought to herself as she pulled back Rarity's bed covers. Rainbow Dash carefully set the fashionista down. Fluttershy removed Rarity's heels, then pulled the covers over her, making sure to tuck the blanket in just how she liked it.

With their friend returned safely to her bed, the other girls stepped back and gazed down at her thoughtfully.

"She'll be okay… Right?" Rainbow asked with squinted eyes.

"Junebug said she'd keep an eye on her," Fluttershy said, though her brow still wrinkled with worry.

Rainbow Dash pulled out her phone. "I'm going to try and call Pinkie Pie."

"I should have asked if she wanted to spend the night," Fluttershy murmured again with a frown.

Rainbow pressed the phone to her ear and motioned to head for the door. "Don't beat yourself up, Shy. There's no telling if Rarity would have accepted your offer. After all, she didn't even tell you what was really going on, right?"

Shy's shoulders sagged as they left the room. "That's true."

Rainbow put an arm over Fluttershy's shoulders, and they descended down the stairs to the foyer. "Hey. You can't fix everything. It's like Junebug said. It's hard to help someone who doesn't want… Damn!" She scowled at her phone as she hit END on her touchscreen. "Voicemail."

"Maybe a text would work better?" Fluttershy suggested. "If Pinkie is dealing with something, she might not be free to talk."

"Good idea," Rainbow said as she opened up her texting app.

* * *

They left the sorority house and returned to the car. The entire way, the athlete was working on a message to the absent party planner:

 **R: Hey Pinkie. Heard u were MIA. U ok? Rarity wuz up 30 hrs… She had a nervous breakdown this morning and dragged FS around all day shopping the mall. Just dropped her off the sorority house. Junebug's there. Can u call or txt bak? Me and FS are worried bout both of u…**

"Aaand…sent." Rainbow paused on the sidewalk just as they arrived at her car. She put her phone into her pocket and took a deep breath. "Well!" she said on the exhale. "She better respond soon. I need some answers."

"Me too," Fluttershy agreed.

Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her neck. "So… It's like, almost nine. I know you've been on your feet all day, so I'd understand if you're too tired to work on my project tonight."

Fluttershy let out a little gasp, her hands flying to her mouth. "Goodness! It completely slipped my mind! Oh, Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry—!"

Rainbow chuckled in exasperation. "Flutters, you can be such a basket case sometimes! Chillax, will ya? You're tired! It's cool."

"But we can still do _something_ tonight. I don't have to be on my feet for that," Fluttershy insisted.

The other girl raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! In fact, if you have your things, we can even work at my house. It's very close to here. It'd be quicker than going all the way back to campus." Her eyes lit up. "Oh! I can even make us dinner! Ice cream is hardly a replacement for a decent meal."

Rainbow Dash hesitated. It was true that she hadn't finished her ice cream, but she'd only stopped eating because she was tired of it, not because her hunger had been satisfied. Still, she felt bad at the prospect of putting Fluttershy in the position of cooking when the other girl was tired from the long day.

"Look, you don't need to cook," she said. She stiffened as something occurred to her. "I mean, if _you_ are hungry, then I don't mind waiting for you to cook. Then if there's extra food, I'll like…uh… I'll have some?" Rainbow Dash scratched her head, her face screwing up.

 _I hate sounding like a dumb jock!_

Fluttershy giggled. She opened the passenger door and put the seat back up. "It's okay. I'm not a good cook like Applejack, so I cheat all the time." She sat down in the passenger seat and grinned. "I've got pre-made ravioli from the grocery store, and the sauce is from a jar. It just takes fifteen minutes to prepare and it's very filling!"

Rainbow smiled and the tension eased from her shoulders. "All right! That sounds really cool, actually." She went around to the driver's side, put her seat back up, and sat down. "Let's go!"  
When she started the car up, she paused to turn and ask, "Oh. You want the top back up?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "No." She bit her lip and twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Though, I did kind of want to ask…"

Rainbow blinked at her, as she shifted into drive. "Yeah?"

"Were you listening to one of our old Rainboom CDs?"

The athlete grinned and turned up the volume on the radio before pulling out into the street. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle's voices poured out of the speakers as they started the trip to Fluttershy's house.

" _We're here to let you know_  
 _That we won't let it go_  
 _Our music is a bomb and it's about to blow_  
 _And you can try to fight_  
 _But we have got the light of_  
 _Friendship on our side_  
 _Got the music in our hearts—"_

"We're here to blow this thing apart," Rainbow sang, nudging her passenger with a jaunty grin.

Fluttershy blushed and joined in, her hair blowing back with the wind, and a shy smile blossoming on her lips: "And together, we will never be afraid of the dark!"

Their voices mingled as they carried on singing the rest of the song. Rainbow Dash's raspy vocals was a strong undercurrent to Fluttershy's soft angelic voice. But while on a four lane main street, a car changed lanes suddenly, cutting them off. It forced Rainbow to stop singing to focus on braking safely.

 _Idiot!_ She thought with a snarl. The frustration was short lived.

There was a small flash of light. Rainbow's head snapped to the side to see Fluttershy had her head tilted back, her eyes closed as her magical aura started to appear, making the pony ears sprout from the top of her hair.

The pre-vet's voice sang out clear and radiant: "Here to sing our song out loud! Get you dancing with the crowd. As the music of our friendship. Survives… Survives… _Survives!_ "

Rainbow Dash's hand grabbed Fluttershy's arm, her eyes flashing back onto the road. "Fluttershy, _ears!_ " she exclaimed. A stoplight was coming up and she started to brake-harder than necessary.

* * *

When Rainbow Dash had grabbed her by the arm, that had been startling enough for Fluttershy. But when her friend had informed her that she had sprouted pony ears, that managed to knock her right off the happy cloud she had found herself on. It had surprised her the degree to which hearing an old recording from their time as the Sonic Rainbooms had an effect on her. Add on the fact that this particular song had been the one they had sung to defeat the Sirens during the Battle of the Bands in high school, and Fluttershy had felt almost euphoric. It had brought back many happy memories, one of the happiest being the fact that Rainbow Dash had finally validated her lyric writing skills. The shy girl felt embarrassed that her nostalgia had resulted in an involuntary slip of her magic.

She squeezed her eyes shut as the car jerked to a hard stop. She willed the Equestrian power away. The aura faded. She could feel her human ears return.

When she opened her eyes, the light had turned green and Rainbow Dash was accelerating again.

The athlete was looking at her with concern. "You okay?" she asked as she turned down the radio volume.

Fluttershy took a shaky breath. "Yes!" She looked sadly down at her lap. "Sorry I ruined such a nice moment. I didn't mean to sprout pony ears." She glanced nervously back at the cars they had passed. "You don't think anyone saw anything…do you?"

Then Rainbow did something she hadn't expected. She grabbed Fluttershy by the shoulder and squeezed. "You've been holding out on me!" She exclaimed with a laugh. "Fluttershy, I don't think I've ever heard you sing like that! You should have been a lead vocalist, not a backing vocalist!"

Fluttershy's chin tucked in, her eyes widening just at the thought. "Me? Oh no! I couldn't possibly do that."

"But you've got such a great voice! It's like," Rainbow snapped her fingers, her eyes squinting as she tried to come up with something. "It's like honey dripping down from heaven onto a _giggling_ _baby_."

Fluttershy's eyes batted rapidly. "That's…" her nose wrinkled. "I'm not entirely sure what to make of that image. Do you know how hot honey has to be to drip like liquid?" She shivered. "I'd be worried for the baby!"

Rainbow gave her an irritated look. "So my analogy sucked. The point is, you're a really good singer."

Fluttershy blushed. "Thank you."

"Could I ever convince you to do lead vocals on a song?" Rainbow asked. They were entering Fluttershy's neighborhood now.

The shy girl tugged on a lock of her hair, her face tense. "I thought the Sonic Rainbooms were on hiatus?"

"Well, yeah. But what about just you and me?"

Fluttershy sat up straight at that. "Y-you and me?"

Rainbow smirked at her, one eyebrow raised. "Uh huh. That's what I just said."

"You have a song?" was the tentative reply.

"No. But just now, I felt… I dunno. I guess I miss it. Music. It'd be cool to write some new material and lay down some new tracks, even if it wasn't with the whole gang." Rainbow shrugged as she pulled to a stop in front of Fluttershy's home. "I'd love it if the band got together again. Too bad we're all too busy."

Shy rubbed her arms, her anxious gaze boring into the dashboard. Her companion, meanwhile, unbuckled and exited the car.

"I…might have a new song," Fluttershy said uncertainly. She lifted her head up as Rainbow Dash stopped to look at her. The athlete's expression lit up with excitement.

"Really?" she asked.

Fluttershy grinned nervously. "Yes?"

"Oh man! I gotta see it!"

"I-it's not finished—"

"So? We shared rough drafts all the time. Yours were always better than mine, remember?"

Fluttershy shook her head as she exited the car. "Rainbow Dash, that's not true! We just had different styles."

Rainbow smirked as she opened the trunk and started retrieving the shopping bags. "Yeah. I wrote all the kick-butt rock anthems, and you did all the sappy melodic pop stuff."

Fluttershy frowned as Rainbow Dash shut the trunk and approached her. "I did more than sappy songs… The song we just listened to, for instance! That's not sappy!"

Rainbow chuckled as Shy opened the front gate and led the way to the front door. "Fluttershy, that song is totally sappy."

"How so?" The shy girl asked with surprise. She fished her key from her jacket pocket and fumbled trying to get it into the lock in the dark.

"Flutters…really?" Rainbow deadpanned. "'Got the music in our hearts' isn't sappy to you?"

Fluttershy pouted. "It was supposed to be uplifting," she mumbled.

She froze when Rainbow Dash hugged her around the shoulders from behind. "Don't get all glum, dude!" the athlete snickered close to her ear. "I liked the song then, and I like it now. It's…y'know. It's _you_." Her embrace tightened. "I can't wait to see the new stuff you've got!"

Fluttershy opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

She recalled the feeling of the athlete's lips on her hands: how soft and warm they had felt; how they had quivered, for the briefest second, when Rainbow realized just what she had done. Those lips were so close now.

The ability to function seemed to flee Fluttershy as she stood, arrested by a swell of conflicting feelings. Rainbow's body felt good against hers. Warm. Just as it had been at the mall. It was also vaguely uncomfortable-an embrace that said things were changing on an unspoken level. Her skin tingled with anticipation.

Then the door ripped open and the girl locked eyes with her glaring brother.

* * *

Star Weld stood in the doorway, his face a tight scowl like he was going to shout a pesky salesman off his porch. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and baggy sweats, his blue hair damp and combed back.

"Star!" Fluttershy squeaked. She tried to take a step back only to press further into Rainbow Dash's body, her shoe stepping on the athlete's sneaker. She jumped and moved to the side, out of Rainbow's embrace. "Oh, Rainbow, I apologize, I didn't mean to step on you!"

Rainbow Dash felt a sting of disappointment at the premature ending to their hug, but she covered it with a smirk. "No biggie." She tilted her chin up at the man. "Hey Star Weld."

Star Weld's expression softened, but the frown remained. "Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow grinned and spread her arms. "In the flesh!"

His face suddenly broke in a smile. "Oh, hey! It's great to see you! C'mere!"

Star Weld stepped forward and grabbed her in a strong hug, one which she returned.

When they stepped away from each other, Star laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "Man! I'm glad it's just you."

Rainbow's smile became bemused. "Who were you expecting instead?"

Star scratched his head, his chin tucking in a fashion reminiscent of his sister. "I heard Flutters talking to someone with a deep voice."

Rainbow squinted her eyes. "Hey! My voice isn't _that_ deep!"

"Don't take it personal," he said with a chuckle. "I couldn't hear too well inside. I wanted to see what jerk Flutters would have brought at this hour, and why."

"Star Weld!" Fluttershy exclaimed, her voice strained.

He shrugged at her. "What? Can you blame me after the last boy you brought home?"

Rainbow looked at Fluttershy sharply, making the other girl shrink. "You brought a boy home? When the heck did that happen!?"

"The summer after she graduated," Star said with pursed lips.

"He was a volunteer from the shelter!" the girl sputtered. "He just wanted to borrow a book on dog grooming!"

"Uh huh." Star Weld rolled his eyes and nudged Rainbow Dash. "I guess that's why he followed you into your room, then?"

Rainbow's mouth dropped and she stared at Fluttershy.

Even in the dark, it was evident that the animal lover was blushing a bright red. But, with visible effort, she straightened her back and lifted her chin. "Rainbow is here for me to help her with school work, and I would very much like to rest my feet." She made a flustered gesture at the door. "Would you please let us come inside?"

He blinked at her, then gave a start. He hopped to the side. "Whoops! Uh, sorry. Go right ahead."

When they entered, Rainbow turned and asked him, "So what happened with the guy?"

Star Weld smirked, one eyebrow raising. "What do you think? I threw him out on his butt and threatened to beat him with the book he claimed to want so bad."

"It was unnecessary and _very_ unkind," Fluttershy said with a look of disapproval. "He stopped coming to the shelter after that."

"Gee, I wonder why," Star muttered as he flopped down onto the couch and turned on the television. Rainbow Dash snickered.

Fluttershy looked at her brother with hands on her hips. "We shouldn't treat guests that way! Do you know how hard it was to find volunteers for the shelter? I was happy to encourage his interest!"

"No offense, but it doesn't sound like you and him had the same 'interests'." Rainbow made air quotations.

Star Weld smirked and held up a hand for a high five, and the athlete obliged him without hesitation.

Fluttershy shook her head at them both. With a prim expression, she asked Rainbow Dash, "Could you excuse me for a moment while I change out of this?" She gestured at her ice-cream-stained skirt. "I'll be quick. Then I'll make the food."

Rainbow nodded. "Sure! Go ahead."

Fluttershy smiled her thanks and proceeded down the back hallway to her room. Star Weld patted the seat next to him. A kung-fu movie was on the TV screen. Rainbow sat down with a groan of relief. "So how ya been? How's work at the auto shop?" she asked, her gaze focusing on the acrobatic action playing in front of her.

Star waved a hand, his eyes also on the television. "Work is work. We haven't had any interesting cars to work on in a while." He sighed. "I miss doing custom work."

She nodded. "Yeah, I remember the cars you tricked out. They were pretty sweet! Why'd you stop?"

The man thumbed over his shoulder at the hallway. "For her. Trust me, I wouldn't have given up my passion unless it was important."

"That's pretty noble, dude."

His mouth screwed up. "It's not noble. It's _parenting,_ " he griped.

Rainbow Dash punched him lightly on the shoulder. "It's cool is what it is. Don't be so darn modest, Star Weld. I know Fluttershy appreciates you!"

The man cleared his throat, his cheeks coloring. He sank a little lower in his seat and asked, "So what about you? My lil' sister mentioned this project she's helping you with?"

Rainbow grimaced. "Yeaaah… It's a thing for psychology. We're in the same class. It's really important, otherwise I wouldn't be bothering you guys at all at this hour."

Star Weld snorted. "Rainbow Dash, come on. You've been her friend for years. You're welcome here any time!" He grinned. "I'm telling you, I was _really_ glad to see it was you." He gestured at the door. "I even pulled that thing out, just in case."

She looked, and her eyes widened at what was propped next to the door. "You pulled out a _metal_ _bat?_ "

"Yeah. Ever since that punk came around, I've kept it handy."

Rainbow fidgeted. Suddenly, she wasn't feeling so relaxed. "You don't want your sister to date? _Anybody?_ " her voice cracked a little, making her wince.

Star snarled. "Are you kidding? I sat down with Flutters and her counselor. The guy showed me her education plan. She's in it for _eight years_. I'm not going to let some jerk screw that up for her by getting her distracted or worse!" His grip on the remote control tightened, making the plastic creak in his fist. Rainbow glanced at it and swallowed. "Especially not when I'm busting my ass trying to help her make it." Star continued. "I'd just as soon do _that_ —" he jabbed a finger at the television screen, where one of the characters had punched a fist into another man's chest and ripped out his heart, "—then allow that to happen. Shy will have plenty of time to find a nice guy later. This is her future we're talking about!"

"Fair enough," Rainbow Dash managed to rasp. _Note to self, don't piss off Star._

"Well _I_ don't think it's fair…" Fluttershy said behind them.

The pair looked up to see the girl in soft green pajama pants and button up shirt. She rubbed one arm, her hair covering one eye as she gazed at her brother with an unreadable expression. "I'm nineteen years old," she said, with just the hint of a quiver in her voice. "If I want to be with someone, then I…I _will_." Fluttershy slouched as Star sat up and twisted in his seat to scowl at her. "N-not that I would do so just to disrespect you, Star," she elaborated with a nervous duck of her head. "But I think it's a little unfair for you to ask me to grow up, then turn around and treat me like a child."

Rainbow Dash's eyebrows rose. Her eyes ticked back and forth between brother and sister, and she wondered with some discomfort if it was necessary to leave so they could talk.

The seconds ticked by. Literally. There was a wooden cuckoo clock on the wall amidst the collection of curios that was ticking almost obnoxiously.

Star Weld was the first to break the silence. "You know what?" He threw up a hand. "That's pretty fair, sis. Okay. You can date."

Rainbow Dash's mouth dropped. " _Really?_ " she exclaimed. Brother and sister stared at her, and she blushed. "Uh… Sorry. It's just…" She rubbed the back of her neck, one eye squinting. "I wish my dad was that easy to beat in an argument!"

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Oh! But I wasn't trying to argue!" She wrung her hands and looked anxiously at her brother. "Star, were we arguing? I didn't mean to! I just wanted you to know how I felt!"

"Relax, Shy," Star Weld laughed. "I didn't think we were arguing. You made a good point." He winked. "Besides, I need you to treat me nice when I get old!"

Fluttershy's brow wrinkled. "I don't understand. Why wouldn't I treat you nice?"

Rainbow Dash snorted out a laugh. _She's too cute!_

Star Weld grinned wryly and made a pacifying gesture with his hand. "Nevermind, sis. I want you to be happy. Don't think too much on it." He turned forward in his seat, his eyes fixing on the television again. He raised a finger. " _But!_ I reserve the right to demand that anyone you get serious with be brought to meet me so that I can have a chance to play scary big brother. This is non-negotiable."

Rainbow tugged at her ear, a nervous grin on her lips. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Fluttershy look at her, but when she glanced her friend's way, the girl was looking at her brother.

"So long as you don't threaten violence," Shy said reluctantly.

Star squinted at her over his shoulder. "How am I supposed to be scary if I can't threaten violence?"

Fluttershy shrugged as she went to the kitchen, a teasing smile on her lips. "I suppose you'll have to get creative, won't you?" She went around the island counter and opened the fridge. "Dinner is in fifteen, by the way. I know you haven't eaten yet, Star."

"Oh yeah? And how do you know that? It's past nine already," he returned, his attention back on the TV.

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, two packages of ravioli in her hands as she shut the fridge. "Because there isn't a cereal bowl in the sink and you didn't order pizza."

Star Weld smirked. "You caught me. I'm trying to watch my figure."

His sister giggled.

Rainbow Dash leaned on the back of the couch, smiling absently at the lighthearted exchange. She watched as her friend began to cook, a soft sigh escaping her.

 _Fluttershy isn't just cute. She's classy without being stuck up. That's…_ Her smile widened. _That's pretty awesome._


	12. Chapter 11

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 11

Dinner had been a pleasant affair. They all had managed to fit in the breakfast nook, and the conversation had ranged from school, to soccer, to movies. When they had finished their ravioli, Rainbow helped Star Weld with clean up, making it relatively quick. As they put the dishes away, Fluttershy tentatively summarized the day's events.

"Wow. So you guys have no idea why Rarity refused to sleep?" Star asked, his brow wrinkled with concern.

They shook their heads.

"I tried sending a text to Pinkie Pie," Rainbow said. She checked her phone, then held up the display in disappointment. "Still haven't heard from her…"

"It'll work out," Star Weld assured them. "Meanwhile, if there's anything I can do to help Rare, just let me know. All of you girls—you're like family. That's a fact."

Rainbow clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks, man."

"We'll let you know if there's anything you can help with, Star. Promise," Fluttershy said with a warm smile. "Why don't you get some rest? Me and Rainbow need to get started on her project before it gets any later." She glanced at the cuckoo clock. "Oh my! It's already ten o' clock!"

Star yawned and stretched. "Man, I'm beat!" He smiled sleepily and waved as he trudged toward his room. "Good night, guys. And good luck."

After the man left, Rainbow Dash retrieved her textbook from her car and met Fluttershy in the girl's room, feeling glad she was prepared for once. The feeling was short-lived. As she sat at her friend's writing desk, her textbook open to the chapter on behavioral neuroscience, she found her eyes kept crossing. She'd read the same line over and over:

 _Behavioral neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to the study of the underlying biological basis of human behavior._

That was the first line in the first chapter.

Rainbow scrubbed hard at her face, her body leaning back in the antique wooden desk chair. The wood creaked beneath her as she let her head fall back and stared up at the ceiling. She twisted around to look at Fluttershy behind her. Her companion was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her own psychology book open in front of her, a journal and pen in her lap. She had said she was outlining the rest of the first chapter for the report. Rainbow was a bit confused that it would take someone this long to outline one chapter, but then again, she couldn't even finish the first paragraph with any solid understanding of the material. She supposed it was just that dense.

 _Even if I finish_ _this report, there's no way I'll pass the presentation…_ She thought with some despair.

"Hey Flutters," Rainbow said, turning the chair so that it faced the bed.

"Hmm?" her friend looked up, her blue eyes fluttering.

"Can I see that song you started writing? My brain is frying. I need a break!"

Fluttershy stiffened. She tapped her pen on her paper and her gaze shifted down. "Rainbow, we've barely been at this thirty minutes!"

"So?" Rainbow returned irritably. "I have a month to do this stuff! The project just covers a few chapters, not the whole book." Her knees bounced and she pouted her lower lip, hands clasped before her. "Puh-leaaase?"

Fluttershy sighed heavily. With pursed lips, she set her journal aside and twisted around to pull out the drawer of her bedside table. With a small grunt, she managed to reach inside and pull out another journal. Facing forward again, she grasped it in both hands, her face tensed with worry and her eyes fixed to the front cover.

Rainbow arched an eyebrow and stood to her feet. Slowly, she went to the end of the bed, and leaned onto the mattress. "Shy?"

Fluttershy looked at her and swallowed hard. "Um, yes. Just a moment." She flipped open the journal and turned the pages one by one, the paper cracking as they slid along the bent spiral binding. "Like I said before, it's not… It's not finished."

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "That's okay."

The other girl stopped turning pages and folded the left side back. She bit her lip and locked eyes with Rainbow. "Here it is." She handed the journal over.

Rainbow took it, her brow furrowing thoughtfully. "Did you have a melody in mind yet?"

Fluttershy hugged herself, her spine curling. "Some basic chords. G, D, and C."

"You like that chord progression too much," Rainbow teased with a grin.

She received a pout in response. "I like songs in major key! Anyway, it's harder for me to come up with a melody bigger than three chords in my head. It's not like you with a guitar. Even when I test things out with my voice, it feels limited."

Rainbow Dash winked. "That's one way I can help!" She straightened and looked at the journal page. "Let's see what we got here."

She read to herself with puckered lips.

 _I want to be more_  
 _Than these sideways glances_  
 _Little sighs_  
 _And wasted chances_  
 _Lonely bus routes_  
 _Part-time shifts_  
 _Whispered words_  
 _And weak slim wrists_

 _I want to be there_  
 _When you're tired and small_  
 _When lights fade_  
 _And the curtains fall_  
 _The well-wishers leave_  
 _The fear grows_  
 _Costumes slough_  
 _And the doubt shows_

 _It's true_  
 _It's true_  
 _You never know_  
 _The sum of us may never show_  
 _The things we chased but couldn't see_  
 _But to hope, is to sometimes breathe_

Rainbow blinked at the neatly written words, her face slackening. She felt vaguely faint, her skin breaking out in gooseflesh. One hand reached up to cover her mouth, but it only rested there for a moment before it nervously planted itself on her hip.

Clearing her throat, Rainbow Dash asked huskily, "Who were you thinking of when you wrote this?" Her eyes found Fluttershy's and held them. Her heart was hammering hard, but she made every effort to maintain an appearance of calm.

 _I want to hear her say it._

Fluttershy took a breath, her lips twitching like she was about to say something, but she stopped herself. Rainbow's jaw tightened.

 _Come on! Just say it, Fluttershy!_

* * *

Fluttershy paled as Rainbow read her song, an antsy feeling creeping into her legs that begged for her to get up, move, _run_. She remained frozen on the mattress, aware of every inch of her skin—the way her muscles seemed to clench, ready to react in some primordial response to what her mind perceived as a threat. This wasn't how she had imagined things going when she had started the song. She'd written draft after draft, tossing pages into the bin until it practically spilled over, and with each pass of her pen, she had envisioned a more prepared revelation of her feelings. Every detail would have been accounted for—the time, the location, the lighting, and of course, the song would have been finished. But there was Rainbow Dash with her incomplete, unworthy declaration of her feelings, and the fateful mystique of her designs collapsed in one swift moment.

Then came that horrible question:

"Who were you thinking of when you wrote this?"

 _You_.

But the word stuck in Fluttershy's throat, refusing to make the perilous journey over her tongue and out of her mouth.

Rainbow frowned and went to sit on the edge of the bed, closer to her. "Fluttershy, you've never written anything like this before. I'm just… I wanna know what inspired you. It's a person, right?"

Fluttershy inhaled deeply, trying to dredge up courage. When she spoke it was in a shallow whisper: "It's someone special to me."

"Okay. So…" Rainbow wheeled her hands with an air of impatience. "Who is it?"

Fluttershy felt the heat of embarrassment conquer the cold fear that had initially gripped her. She looked away, letting her hair curtain her face.

 _I can't tell her now… It's too soon!_

That's when she felt Rainbow grab her knee. Startled, her head whipped around and she was shocked to see the other girl was leaning in close, her rose pink eyes wide and searing.

"Fluttershy, just tell me," she murmured.

Fluttershy shivered. Rainbow's low, rough voice struck a deep chord within her…

It rang with fear.

Rainbow Dash's grip squeezed. "Fluttershy—"

"I-it's Bulk Biceps!" the animal lover blurted. Her face lengthened as she felt her heart drop.

 _Why did I say that!?_

Rainbow let go, her face twisting. " _What?_ " She stood to her feet. "Bulk Biceps? That meathead juicer?"

Fluttershy flashed a scowl. "That's not very nice, Rainbow!"

Rainbow threw the journal down onto the bed. "There is _no way_ you're crushing on that guy. I just don't believe you!"

"Why not?" Fluttershy replied with surprised indignation, her petite hands clenching into fists. She considered Bulk a friend and disliked hearing him insulted, even given the situation. "Bulk is a very gentle person, and we share a lot of interests!"

Rainbow stared at her as if she were crazy. "He's part of the powerlifting team. His idea of a good day is eating a rare steak, lifting four hundred pounds, and having someone compliment his quads. What the heck do you two have in common!?"

Fluttershy faltered, her eyes glazing in thought. "H-he likes animals!"

The athlete crossed her arms. "Butterflies scare him," she said flatly. "He's over six feet tall, nearly two hundred pounds of pure muscle, and a _butterfly_ scares him."

Fluttershy was feeling stomach sick. She could feel sweat beading along her hairline.  
 _I just keep digging myself in. I have to tell her I don't really like Bulk. She doesn't believe me anyway, and I'm sounding ridiculous!_

Yet admitting to her lie would mean the question of who the subject of her song really was could be brought up again. After all the fuss, Fluttershy couldn't sweep it under the rug with some general excuse. The lyrics were clearly romantic in nature. If only she hadn't admitted that it was based on anyone she knew. The desperation to escape a premature confession, especially under such circumstances, spurred her further into her flimsy deception. "He's in shape!" she spouted in a quavering voice.

Rainbow Dash made a face. "Just because he's stacked doesn't mean he's that great. His cardio sucks! He goes to my dad's training facility. I can run circles around that guy!"

"Rainbow why do you—" Fluttershy's brow furrowed.

 _Wait a minute…_

Tentatively, she said, "Bulk also took a masseuse course with me in high school."

Rainbow snorted. "So?"

Fluttershy uncrossed her legs and hugged her knees to her chest. Taking a deep breath, she sputtered, "H-he gives great shoulder rubs!" Then she hid her face in her knees and waited for her world to end.

* * *

Rainbow sneered. "He took a masseuse course, and that's the one thing he's good at? How lame!" Then she stiffened, her nose wrinkling as her abdomen clenched. "Wait, you let _Bulk Biceps_ give you shoulder rubs?"

Fluttershy said nothing, though she dared to peek up through her pink hair.

Rainbow Dash's jaw clenched. She pointed irately toward the end of the bed. "Move over!"

Fluttershy lifted her head just enough to stare at her.

"I said move over!" Rainbow gestured impatiently for Fluttershy to scoot down. "I'm going to sit behind you."

"What for?" her friend whimpered.

"To show you what a real shoulder rub is, that's what!" Rainbow Dash snapped. "Now come on, featherbrain, move it!"

Fluttershy squeaked and hurriedly moved down the bed. Rainbow flopped down behind her, cracking her knuckles. "Okay, ready?"

The other girl peeked over her shoulder, her drawn face and glassy eyes signaling she was more than a little disoriented. The athlete suspected her confusion was likely overriding whatever anxieties she might protest with. "Um. Yes?" the shy girl squeaked.

Rainbow took a breath to quiet her own nerves. Carefully, she reached up and laid her hands on Fluttershy's shoulders. Her friend flinched under her touch, making her lift her hands. Then she scowled and returned them, her fingers kneading Fluttershy's tight muscles.

"Relax. You act like I'm going to eat you," Rainbow muttered irritably.

"Rainbow, forgive me," Fluttershy breathed. "But this is extremely out of the ordinary!"

Rainbow's fingers slowed to a stop. "Is that bad?"

Fluttershy's head turned a quarter to the side. With a trembling hand, she reached up and pulled her long pink hair over one shoulder, giving Rainbow better access to her shoulders. "It's not bad," she said. "I'm just not used to it."

Rainbow let out a little sigh of relief, her hands resuming their work. "You've had a rough day. You probably could use with some loosening up."

"I suppose that's true…"

"Let's talk about your song to help take your mind off things."

"O-okay," Fluttershy said. Rainbow could feel her friend's shoulders twitch under her hands. "Did you like it?" she asked nervously.

"I did," Rainbow murmured. She let her hands trail down to between Fluttershy's shoulder blades where she found yet another knot of tension. Firmly, but gently, she let her thumbs massage the area in small circles. "I like the pattern you were making. The rhythm might need a little work, but you might find a way to pull it off like it is."

"What did you think of the lyrics themselves?" Fluttershy whispered.

Rainbow pursed her lips. "You didn't write that song for Bulk Biceps," she said flatly. "But…whoever you wrote it for, I think they'd like it. The things you say—" she cleared her throat and shrugged. Forgetting that she was only supposed to be giving a shoulder rub, Rainbow Dash let her hands trail further down Fluttershy's back as she sought to work away the stress in her friend's body.

Fluttershy looked at her over her shoulder, her brow tensed. "Rainbow?"

Rainbow slowed her ministrations as she met the other girl's questioning gaze. She tried to roll the nervous energy out of her shoulders, and afterward let her hands trail their way back up Fluttershy's back. This made the other girl shudder. Rainbow's eyes turned lidded and her breathing slowed, just like it had back at the dressing room in the mall.

"Fluttershy, the things you say are honest," Rainbow finally managed to say. Her voice was raspier than usual. "It's what you feel, and it's like… I dunno. All net."

"All net?"

Rainbow chuckled roughly, her hands rising up to knead Fluttershy's shoulders again. They didn't feel quite as tense. "Like from basketball. Y'know. A perfect shot? Doesn't touch the rim at all, just… _Swish_. Points scored."

"Oh…" Fluttershy ducked her head, and Rainbow could see her neck redden.

Rainbow grinned, and because she was feeling bold (and not a little mischievous), she scooted closer, snaked one arm around Fluttershy's torso, and whilst leaning forward, grabbed the lyrics journal from in front of her friend. Her cheek brushed Fluttershy's as her body pressed into the other girl's back. The pleasant shampoo scent of lavender and mint assailed her again. She could hear her companion's breathing turn uneven as she brought the journal up in front of them both.

Rainbow reached up and tapped a line. "This is bothering me, though."

She turned her head a little to see Fluttershy frown. "'Weak slim wrists?'" her friend said.

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash grabbed Fluttershy's wrist and stroked the underside with her thumb. "Your wrists are slim but they aren't weak. It's false advertising."

Fluttershy twisted around to bat her eyes at Rainbow. "Rainbow I'm not strong at all."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I already tell you how good of a tambourine player you are? Do you know how much stamina a person needs to keep shaking that thing? It's all in the wrist!"

A tense giggle. "You make it sound like I'm a tennis player!"

Without thinking, the tomboy said: "You'd look amazing in a tennis outfit."

Rainbow Dash blushed as she felt all her massage work vanish when Fluttershy tensed against her. Hurriedly, she stammered out, "Uh, like, because you're always wearing skirts and stuff! And, y'know, you have nice legs, so they look super great, even outside of a, uh, tennis outfit. So it's like…yeah."

They stared at each other for a moment longer. Rainbow swallowed audibly.

Unable to take it any longer, she extricated herself from her friend and jumped off the bed.

" _Anyways!_ " she said with a great big exhale, "I was thinking that maybe I could try and write the next verses for you." She rubbed the back of her neck, feeling the skin there burning hot. "If you don't mind me giving it a shot? I mean, I know it's your lovey-dovey song to 'Bulk Biceps' and all, but…"

Fluttershy gazed up at her, lips parted, tension around her eyes and her cheeks a bright pink. She seemed to snap out of whatever stupor she had fallen into, and wrestled her features into something more neutral. "N-no! No, no! That would be wonderful, Rainbow Dash! You always brought a spark to my songs that I always lacked before."

Rainbow nodded. "Cool!" She picked up the journal. "And don't worry. I won't turn it into a joke."

Fluttershy bit her lip and lowered her gaze. "I appreciate that."

Another awkward pause.

Rainbow Dash pointed back at the desk. "I was having some trouble understanding this chapter. Do you think you could—?"

Fluttershy perked up, her eyes widening. "Oh! Goodness, of course." She rose from the bed, and together they went to the desk. "You're on chapter one, right?"

"Yeah," Rainbow groused, a dark scowl crossing her features. "It's the one on behavior… Behave—" she growled. " _Behave-yor-al—_ "

Fluttershy smiled sympathetically as she sat at the writing desk. "Behavioral neuroscience. What part didn't you understand?"

Rainbow grimaced. "All of it."

* * *

It was close to midnight by the time Rainbow left Fluttershy's home. She half wanted to ask if she could just sleep on the couch, but she didn't want to take advantage of the hospitality.

As she drove back to campus, Rainbow Dash kept the radio turned off, her brow furrowed as she took the long way back. Her thoughts wandered, winding into dark brooding valleys, and climbing high mountains of optimism. She wondered about Pinkie Pie, whom she still had yet to hear back from. She worried for Rarity, feeling certain on some instinctual level that what kept her friend from sleep was a threat of some kind, and she very much wished she could vanquish it.

Then of course, there was Fluttershy.

 _I'm supposed to convince Shy to do my project for me by the end of the week. Tomorrow's Thursday, and I have to cut out of practice early. I can't ask for more time away from soccer than I already have… But I don't want to do this to Fluttershy. I hate having this slimy agenda._

Rainbow Dash struck her steering wheel, her teeth bared in frustration. "Damn!" she hissed.

 _How could I have screwed up so bad to get in this position? They already make classes easy for athletes. Did I need a remedial course or something? Am I_ that _stupid?_

She sagged in her seat as she came to a red light.

 _I must be. I can't even read the textbook without someone translating it to me. Fluttershy may be able to do my report, but she can't do my presentation for me. Does Dr. Axon really expect me to talk about stuff like neuroscience like I have a clue what I'm saying?_

Rainbow rubbed at her eyes with both hands, a low groan emitting from her throat.

 _The sad part is, I'm really having fun with Fluttershy. She's cute, and nice, and somewhere between now and high school, I think she picked up a bit of Rarity's sass, but none of her snootiness. She's still scared, and she's still shy, but it's like…_ She let her hands fall away, and realized with a jolt that the light had turned green. Luckily, there were no cars that she was holding up, so she accelerated without hurry. Absently, she smiled. _It's like Fluttershy wants to come out of her shell._

As the glow from the streetlights ghosted over her and the car, Rainbow's smile waned. _Why did she have to lie, then?_ Her brow furrowed. _That song wasn't about Bulk-freaking-Biceps! I don't hate the guy, but he's all wrong for her! Why did Fluttershy tell me she wrote that song to him? She wrote it for_ me… _Right?_

As she entered the university streets, her thoughts devolved into increasingly broken, frustrated ideas that ranged from confused attempts at rationalizing ( _Do Flutters and Bulk have a class together, or something?_ ) to outright insulting the guy she claimed not to hate ( _That big dumb snarling muscle bag!_ ) By the time she had parked and entered her dorm room, Rainbow Dash was fit to burst.

She threw herself onto her bed and groaned loudly.

Sunset Shimmer, who had been asleep in her own bed, sat up with a start. "Wha-huh!?" She squinted in the dark at Rainbow, who sat up on her mattress. "Oh. Dashie. You're back." She yawned and laid back down.

Rainbow bounced her knees, her eyes fixed on Sunset's vague shape across the room. "Sunset, you won't believe what Fluttershy told me," she said.

"Yeah? And what's that?" Sunset mumbled.

"She says she's crushing on Bulk Biceps," Rainbow spat through her teeth.

Sunset lifted her head. "Bulk Biceps? From Canterlot High?"

"That's the one."

"But they have nothing in common!"

Rainbow jumped to her feet, pointing excitedly at her roommate. "Right!? That's what _I_ told her! She was lying to me, Sunset!"

Sunset sat up and turned on her bedside lamp. She squinted in the soft warm glow, her hair tousled and her pajamas askew. Crossing her arms, she raised an eyebrow at Rainbow. "Why would Fluttershy lie to you about who she likes?"

Rainbow threw her hands up into the air. "Heck if I know!" She started pacing between their beds. "Maybe she freaked out and couldn't tell me the truth?"

Sunset tried to stifle another yawn, and failed. "Yah, tha souns like sumfin Shy wud do!"

"But of all the people she could have lied about liking, why did she pick _Bulk Biceps?_ "

Sunset shifted a leg up so that she could lean on her knee with a fist in her cheek. Her eyes drifted shut. "If you know she's lying, then why are you getting so worked up about it?" she asked wearily.

"I'm not getting worked up over some roider like Bulk. No offense to the guy—"

Sunset snorted. "Too late."

"—But he's no good for Shy!"

"And who do you think is good for Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash?" Sunset mumbled, creaking open one eye.

Rainbow stopped her pacing to glare at her. "Huh?"

"You heard me. Who do you think is good for her?" She smirked. " _You?_ "

Rainbow Dash felt her skin ignite with burning anger. She stomped toward Sunset's bed to loom over her roommate. "I'm like the World Cup compared to Bulk Biceps! He's not even good enough for one of those plastic participation medals they hand out to wimpy kids!"

Sunset Shimmer's only reaction to her friend's explosive outburst was to yawn again, then lie back down. "Oh. Cool. So then I guess all you have to do is show her."

"Yeah," Rainbow sneered, feeling ragingly satisfied at her friend's apparent acquiescence. "I _will_ show her!"

"That's something you really want then? Just for you?" the other girl asked, her eyebrows lifting.

The athlete made a face. "Of course! This has nothing to do with the project! It's a matter of pride!"

"Sure it is." Sunset reached for her bedside lamp. Her hand paused on the switch as her gaze met Rainbow's. She was smiling now. "Maybe you should think about what you just said. I, meanwhile, am going to sleep. Good night, Dashie!"

As the room fell dark once again, Rainbow huffed and sat on her bed.

 _Think about what I just said? What is she talking about? I know what I said! I said I'd—_

Her eyes widened, and she sat up straight.

"I just said I was going to try and seduce Fluttershy, huh?" Rainbow rasped.

"Eyup," Sunset replied in a decent Big Mac impression.


	13. Chapter 12

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 12

Rainbow Dash didn't fall asleep easily that night, and when she did, it was fitful. Upon waking, she found she had sweated through her sheets, and immediately she was beset with a tight abdomen and throat; an antsy urge in her body that made her alert within seconds. She sat up stiff and with a mild headache. A glance at her clock told her it was nearly four in the morning. Her alarm still had yet to go off. Across the room, Sunset was still sleeping.

Grumbling, Rainbow kicked off her damp sheets and went to take a shower. In the stall, as the water stream wet her hair and trailed down her taut body, her thoughts became plagued with a certain bashful pre-vet student. Rainbow Dash held her breath and stood with her face in the stream. The heavy droplets struck her lips, and they tingled with the memory of Fluttershy's soft fingers, sticky and sweet from butterscotch ice cream. She shuddered and let her chin fall to her chest, her lungs sucking in air. She glared down at her feet, watching the water stream from her head to the stall floor—and again, her mind flashed with the sight of Fluttershy staring up at her, her big blue eyes wide, her lovely chest heaving from that time Rainbow had made her chair tip backwards in the library. The athlete groaned, her fingers digging into her eyes.

 _Damn it, Dash. Stop it. You're tougher than this!_

Rainbow reached for the body wash. After squeezing some onto a loofa, she started to scrub her body. It was when she passed the loofa along her left side that she flinched, the nerves along her skin firing up the memory of Fluttershy's body pressed up against her from when they were in the dressing room. Rainbow bared her teeth and hastily rinsed herself.

When she was through showering, she got dressed and started to prepare her duffel bag for the gym. Her eyes felt scratchy and her movements were lethargic. One moment she'd be searching for clean socks, only to get distracted momentarily and forget what she was doing entirely. She'd sit down to sort through her bag, stand up and pace, then sit down again, staring into space. All the while, little thoughts continued to invade her focus:

 _Why did Fluttershy have to say Bulk Biceps? Why?_

 _I can't be crushing on her. I just can't._

 _Am I going to see her before tonight?_

 _My dad's right. I'm too soft._

 _This is Sunset's fault. It's like she flipped a switch!_

 _What am I going to write for Shy's song?_

Can _I see her before tonight?_

When Rainbow Dash had finally gathered everything she needed, she looked to the clock and realized with a start that she was late by almost an hour.

"Damn!" She grabbed her duffel and hurried to the door, but she jerked to a stop when Sunset's alarm went off.

Her roommate groaned and slammed the device off. Rubbing at her eyes, she raised her head and squinted at Rainbow Dash. "Dashie?" she mumbled. "You're still here?" Sunset looked at her clock in confusion. "I didn't wake up early, did I?"

"No," Rainbow said with some tension roughening her voice. She stood at the door with her hand on the knob, but didn't turn it. "I'm running late today."

"Oh." Sunset yawned and sat up, scratching at her scalp. She batted her eyes, some of the sleep leaving her as she noticed that Rainbow was practically glaring daggers at her. "Rainbow? You look upset. Something up?"

Rainbow laughed caustically and threw her bag down onto the floor. She leaned back against the door and crossed her arms high on her chest, her shoulders bunched so tight they ached. "Is something up?" she repeated with a sneer. "Oh, I dunno, Sunset. Could it be the weird mind trick you pulled on me last night?"

Sunset stared at her, confusion tensing her face. "Huh?"

Rainbow jabbed a finger in her roommate's direction as she felt her face heat up with frustration. "You've been on my case ever since you found out me and Fluttershy were working together, and now you've gone and done some crazy magical _pony_ thing to my brain!"

The other girl let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Are you serious?" Sunset Shimmer sighed and pushed her covers back to place her feet on the floor. She arched an eyebrow. "Rainbow, I didn't cast a spell on you."

Rainbow kicked at her duffel bag. "Then how do you explain what I'm feeling right now, huh? Four days ago, everything was _normal_. Now I'm—!" She broke off, her hands clenching and unclenching like she could grab the spirit of her problems and strangle the life out of it.

"You've got feelings for Fluttershy, Rainbow," Sunset finished, as if stating that the sky was blue.

"No way!" Rainbow snarled. She winced and buried her hands in her hair. "I mean, I _can't_."

"But do you want to?"

Rainbow squinted one eye. "What kind of question is that?"

Sunset took a deep breath. Slowly, she said, "What I meant was—the feelings and thoughts you're having about Fluttershy…do they _all_ feel unpleasant to you?"

Rainbow blushed and shrugged one shoulder. "I mean… _no_ , but—"

"You feel conflicted because you were only supposed to appeal to her crush on you, to convince her to do your project, but now you're wondering how you can do that if you _actually_ have a crush on her too."

"Well, yeah. But it's more than just that!" Rainbow sighed roughly and brushed her hair back with both hands. "My dad told me not to get attached. He doesn't want me dating between now and the championships because he thinks it'll dull my edge."

Sunset scowled. "He has no business dictating your personal life. He doesn't _own_ you, Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash tensed, instinctively wanting to defend her father, but she was held back as she recalled what Star Weld had said to Fluttershy the night before:

 _That's pretty fair, sis. Okay. You can date._

The athlete frowned and looked down at her sneakers.

 _I wish it was that easy with my dad…_

Sunset stood and started to make her bed. She glanced over at Rainbow. "I told you I wouldn't get on your case about what was going on between you and Fluttershy. You know why?"

Rainbow shrugged half-heartedly.

Sunset smiled at her as she tucked her blankets in. "Because I had a feeling this would happen."

The athlete stared as her roommate smoothed out her comforter, then straightened and fluffed her pillows. Sunset went into the bathroom and shut the door. By that point Rainbow Dash still hadn't moved. Behind the door, the shower head turned on, the stall squeaking shut.

 _She_ knew? _How could she know!? What is she? Psychic?_ Then Rainbow's eyes widened. _Woah…hold the phone!_

* * *

Sunset Shimmer had just put the shampoo into her hair when she heard the bathroom door burst open and Rainbow shouted:

" _Sunset, did you read my mind!?_ "

Sunset screamed, her body hitting the back of the shower stall as her heart beat faster than a hummingbird's wings. Her eyes opened, some of the shampoo suds trickling into them, and she yelped in pain. "Ow, ow, _ow!"_ She put her face into the water stream and gingerly tried to rinse her eyes of the painful shampoo. "Darn it, Rainbow Dash, have you completely lost it!? In case you haven't noticed, I'm in the shower!"

"Sunset Shimmer, you had better answer me!" Rainbow said from outside. Her voice sounded hoarse. "Answer me, Sun, cause I am _freaking out!_ "

"What for?" Sunset snapped. "You're acting like the world is ending!" She growled and stuck her head under the water stream, scrubbing the shampoo away as quickly as she could. "It's just a crush, Rainbow! Not terminal cancer!"

"But you said you saw this coming!"

"No! I said I had a _feeling_ this would happen to you! In no way was that a premonition via Equestrian magic! I'm kind of insulted you'd think I'd invade your privacy like that… _Hint, hint._ " Sunset stepped out of the stream and finally dared to open her still-stinging eyes. She glared at the vague human-shape of Rainbow through the stall door. Her roommate was leaning on the bathroom sink with her head hanging. Sunset's expression cleared.

 _Oh. She really_ is _torn up about this._

With a heavy sigh, she opened the stall door and peeked out, her two-tone hair dripping onto the floor. "Rainbow Dash, you wanna know how you and Fluttershy looked to me? How you both looked to _all_ of us?"

Rainbow looked at her, tension writ across her face.

Sunset's gaze softened. "You looked like bad timing."

The other girl snorted, her rainbow bangs falling into her squinted eyes. "What does that even mean?"

"Your first girlfriend was Lightning Dust—"

"Yeah? So?" Rainbow looked away, but Sunset could see her grip on the sink tighten, and the muscles cord in her forearms.

Sunset's brow wrinkled. "So Fluttershy was still sorting out what she felt when you two were dating. By the time she accepted that she liked you, you'd sworn off anything serious. But I think the moment you knew she had a thing for you, a part of you became interested. That's totally normal! It doesn't mean you didn't think she was pretty or nice before—obviously you two are friends—but sometimes a door has to open for a person to realize they can even look inside."

"Sunset, get to the point!" Rainbow groaned.

Sun pursed her lips. "The _problem_ , Rainbow, is that if you're going to get into a relationship with Fluttershy, the only thing it's ever going to _be_ is serious. That's what kept you from seriously considering Shy, up until this project thing forced you two together. Now that it's staring you in the face, it freaks you out."

"I'm not scared!" Rainbow snarled through her teeth.

"No?" Sunset snapped. "So then what did you interrupt my shower for?"

"Because you still forget to lock the door, and I wouldn't even be _feeling_ this way if you hadn't toyed with my head last night!" Rainbow struck the sink with a fist. "None of this was on my radar a few days ago! Now all of a sudden, I'm like— _mushy_ and _sappy_ and—gah!" Rainbow kicked the cabinet beneath the sink.

Sunset shook her head. "Rainbow, think back for a minute… When you started dating Lightning Dust, how long did it take for you to fall for her?"

Rainbow shot her a withering look.

The former-Equestrian rolled her eyes. "How long did it take for you to 'get the hots' for her?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Not long?"

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Exactly. There's a reason they say 'love strikes like an arrow'."  
She shut the stall door to resume her shower. Just as she squeezed some conditioner onto her hand, she stiffened, her gaze taking on a dangerous glint. "Rainbow Dash, earlier, did you say I forgot to lock the bathroom door ' _again'?_ "

Her roommate let loose an awkward cough. "I'll just, uh…leave now."

* * *

Rainbow ended up going to the gym, if only because she knew that skipping her workout wouldn't help her mood. Today she was focusing on her lower muscle groups, and it was when she was in the middle of her split squats, an idea came to her. It got her so excited, she nearly stopped training right then to go back to campus. Rainbow managed to control herself, and finished her workout—though she did cut out on sauna time and shortened her shower just to leave faster. As she left the gym and hurried to her car, she dialed Sunset Shimmer on her phone. It rang several times before going to voicemail.

" _Hey, it's Sunset! I'm either in class, or asleep. Leave a message and—_ "

Rainbow Dash ground her teeth and ended the call. _If I was a physics major, where would I be right now?_ she wondered as she started her car.

When she arrived on campus, she actually had to stop at the visitor's center for a map of the university. Due to the size of Everfree, there were plenty of areas that Rainbow Dash had never even set foot in. After a minute of searching, she found the Physics Building on the map. It was on the eastern side of campus, closer to the city streets, and a ten minute walk.

Rainbow set off, a determined look on her face. That day she had her survey class on urban sociology, but in contrast to her psychology lecture with Dr. Axon, it was very lax. She had no intention of sitting in on another dummy session. She'd email her instructor with some excuse about soccer or illness. Her classmates did it all the time.

 _Besides, if I sit still, I might just explode_ , she thought with a tense scowl.

The Physics Building was squat and concrete with heavy dark wood doors at the greek-style entrance. Inside, the conditioned air made Rainbow Dash shiver. She paused to raise an eyebrow at the large Foucault pendulum swaying side to side as it made lines in a sand pit in the middle of the lobby. A staircase wound its way up, around the structure. A hallway also branched ahead of Rainbow, and voices echoed softly.

She decided to start her search on the first floor. After poking her head into a number of rooms, some with ongoing classes, she failed to find Sunset. It was upstairs, passing one of the smaller research rooms that Rainbow's ear tweaked from a familiar voice—

"Spike, did I pack that research paper on bosonization?"

Rainbow doubled back and poked her head through the open door, and her eyes fell on Twilight Sparkle gazing sternly down at her faithful talking dog, Spike, who was sitting on a round table. They were standing in a room barely bigger than an average office. Sunset Shimmer was just behind the other girl, standing at a whiteboard covered in equations. From the looks of things, Rainbow surmised they had reserved the room to work on the project they had mentioned at their group's last dinner.

Spike's head tilted to the side. "Um… I saw it on your desk?"

Twilight crossed her arms. "Yes, but did I _pack_ it?"

His furry face bunched. "Twi, just because I was in your backpack doesn't mean I know everything you keep in it! I don't even know how _bo-so-nye-zay-shion_ is even spelled!"

"B-o-s-o-n-i—"

The dog put a paw on his face. "Oh brother…"

Sunset glanced over her shoulder at them. "Don't worry, Twilight. I think I have a copy of that paper you're talking about—" She froze as her gaze landed on Rainbow Dash.

The athlete entered, shutting the door behind her. "Sunset! Geez, I've been looking all over for you!"

Sunset put the marker down and turned to stare at her as if she'd grown a new head. "Rainbow? What in the world are you doing here? Don't you have class?"

Rainbow shrugged the question off as she approached, opting instead to greet the others. "Hey Sci-Twi—I mean," she winced at the pout the nerdy girl gave her, "Twilight Sparkle." Rainbow held up a fist and Spike bumped it with his paw. "Sup, Spike!"

"Rainbow, not to make you feel unwelcome, but I hope you aren't here for that _thing_ we were talking about this morning," Sunset Shimmer warned. "We're kind of in the middle of something important, here."

Rainbow Dash squinted at the equations on the board. She understood none of them. "Uh, yeah. Real egghead business, I'm sure." She stepped closer to Sunset and put an arm on her shoulder, turning her away from the others. Under her breath, she said, "So listen, I've got an idea that can solve everything."

Sunset groaned, one hand covering her face. "Rainbow Dash, no! Not this again!"

Undeterred, Rainbow whispered eagerly, "You can cast a spell on me that makes my crush go away!"

Her roommate let her hand drop from her eyes to level a stare so profoundly frustrated, even the athlete pulled back.

"What?" Rainbow said defensively. "I'm asking you for a favor!"

"As opposed to accusing me of magicking your brain against your will like last time?" Sunset shot back.

"Yeah! That's better, right?"

" _No,"_ Sunset snapped out loudly, making Rainbow jerk away in surprise. "No, that is _not_ better, Rainbow! Honestly, I am trying to be sympathetic to your situation, really I am, but this is starting to get ridiculous!"

Rainbow jabbed a finger into Sunset's shoulder. "Hey, _buddy_. I wouldn't even be in this mess if it weren't for you!"

Sunset's jaw dropped. "Ex _-cuse_ me!?"

"Yeah! You heard me, Sunset Shimmer! If you hadn't started guilt-tripping me, I wouldn't have found myself feeling what I am!"

Sunset's nostrils flared as she took a deep, deep breath. With closed eyes and exaggerated calm, she said, "Dash, I know you're probably under a lot of stress, and it's true, you're caught between a rock and a hard place, but nothing will be solved by throwing around blame and trying to chase quick fixes."

"So you _can_ do it, though?" Rainbow pressed.

Sunset's lips pursed. "You can't erase emotions, even in magic."

"Erase emotions?" Twilight asked. They both turned to look at her. She had a quizzical look on her face. "Why would you want to do that, Rainbow?"

"Because she can't handle things on her own like a big girl, that's why," Sunset muttered irately.

"What did you say!?" Rainbow sputtered, her body flushing hot. "You had better take that back, Sun!"

"Or what?" Sunset said with a look of suffering. "You'll punch my lights out?" She snorted and shook her head. "Rainbow, you have got to see that this stuff you're feeling is not a bad thing! You can't wish it, bribe it, or _threaten_ it away!"

"But what is she so upset about?" Twilight interjected, making them look at her again.

"It's none of your—!" Rainbow broke off as her eyes widened. "Actually…" She smiled slyly and glanced at Sunset. " _You_ can help me instead."

Sunset Shimmer gave her a death glare. "Rainbow, don't you dare—!"

"If there really isn't a spell that can make me stop feeling what I am," Rainbow said to Twilight, "Then maybe you can make me forget the stuff that's causing them? There's gotta be a spell for erasing memories, right?"

Sunset cut in before Twilight could answer. "Bad idea." She looked at Twilight. "Just ignore her. She doesn't know what she's asking!"

Twilight frowned at her, "But I _still_ don't understand!" She looked at Rainbow and adjusted her thick glasses. "Rainbow Dash, if you really want me to agree to try this, I'm going to need the full story to decide. _Especially_ if I'd be doing it against the advice of Sunset."

Rainbow grimaced but pulled out a chair at the table. She took a deep breath. "Okay…" She glared up at Twilight. "But you can't tell anybody! It's all just a misunderstanding anyway!"

Twilight sat down in a chair opposite of Rainbow, and Spike jumped into her lap.  
"All right," she said with laced hands and a professional tone. "Tell me the whole story."

By the time Rainbow was through recounting the major events of the week, and all her reasonings for her decisions, over forty minutes had passed by and Sunset Shimmer was erasing the equations on the whiteboard with a sense of slow defeat.

"So much for our project," she mumbled.

"I can't believe Rainbow Blaze would sanction such a bad idea!" Twilight exclaimed.

Spike growled in her lap. "If I saw Blaze, I'd bite him!"

"Guys, come on. He's still my dad," Rainbow muttered with discomfort. "The point is, I get that my idea was a crappy one. So, I think… I think I won't be able to go through with it."

"Thank Celestia!" Sunset sighed as she wiped the last of the equations off the whiteboard. "It took you long enough to see that!"

"But that still doesn't entirely solve my problems! I still need Fluttershy's help to finish my project, but I _can't_ be crushing on her the whole time!" Rainbow said, her voice strained to the point of reediness.

Twilight stood to her feet, displacing Spike. Her hand was rubbing her chin. "Rainbow, you've told me your reasons for wanting me to cast the spell… Do you want me to help you?"

Rainbow perked up. "You mean you'll do it?"

Twilight Sparkle held up a finger. "First, I want to make some things clear." She went to the whiteboard and drew a circle. Inside of it, she wrote Fluttershy's name. From it, she drew three lines, and three more circles. In the left circle, she wrote in _Pros,_ in the right, _Cons_ , and at the top, _Facts_.

Pushing her glasses up her nose, Twilight Sparkle looked at a bemused Rainbow and tapped _Cons_. "You told me the cons of starting a relationship with Fluttershy from your perspective. Those were…" She started writing more branches on the web. "Your dad feeling like you betrayed him; your competitive edge being dulled; your belief that you and Fluttershy are incompatible due to her demure nature; and your concern that a relationship with Fluttershy will only ruin your friendship."

"Right," Rainbow said, scratching her head. "And what's 'facts' doing up there?"

"I'll get to that," Twilight said, moving to the other side of the board. She started drawing branches on the _Pros_ side of the web. "You gave me plenty of negatives. But it wouldn't be a crush if there wasn't something you enjoyed about Fluttershy. Can you give me some positives?"

Rainbow stiffened in her chair, her gaze falling to her lap as her cheeks tinged pink. "Uh…"

Spike went to sit at her feet, his ears perking up. "Come on, Rainbow. It's Flutters!" He wagged his tail. "Someone who gives belly rubs as good as she does has got to have lots of nice qualities!"

Sunset and Twilight giggled at him.

Rainbow smiled weakly. "Yeah." She rubbed the back of her neck and said to her knees: "Um, well, her hair smells nice." She swallowed through a tight throat and mumbled. "It smells like lavender. And mint, I think." She cast a sideways look at Sunset. "Like those teas you're always drinking."

Twilight nodded and wrote the note down. "Great! What else?"

Rainbow slouched in her seat and bounced one knee. "She…looks good in a skirt?"

"All right."

"She's great at music. I like the lyrics she writes, and she has a pretty rad singing voice."

"Really?" Sunset cut in, taking Twilight's seat across from Rainbow. "But I remember it being hard to get her to speak up just for sound checks on the backup mics!"

Rainbow grinned, her head lolling back to rest against the back of the chair. Her eyes stared through the ceiling as her head became filled with Fluttershy's singing. "She's been hiding some aces up her sleeve, I think."

"Grr-eat…singing…vo-ice…" Twilight said slowly as she wrote the note down. "Fantastic. Next?"

"She has a cute laugh, and I like her blue eyes. She kind of glides when she walks. Watching her eat ice cream is really interesting. She has great taste in lingerie—" Rainbow's eyes widened and she looked at the others. Sunset and Twilight were blushing. The athlete sank deeper into her seat. "N-nevermind…"

Twilight cleared her throat. "Er, what else?"

Rainbow twirled a finger through the air. "She twirls her hair around her index finger when she gets nervous. Usually it's whenever she wants to ask a question or has to point something out." The athlete's eyes closed, and she continued absently: "She pouts when she feels like I'm teasing her, too. It's cute, and stuff. Makes me want to keep messing with her. That would have felt impossible before, because I woulda been afraid of making her cry or something—I freaking hate it when she cries—but now I know when I start to go too far with her when she turns into Mothershy—"

Spike snickered. "'Mothershy!' That's a good one!"

Rainbow chuckled, casting him an amused glance. When the laughter faded, she puckered her lips in thought for a moment. Then she murmured, "I know she can be a doormat, and that _totally_ annoys me, but...I get the sense that she has these limits. All you gotta do is tap 'em, then _wham!_ " She sighed wistfully, her eyes turning lidded. "Even then, for her to even say anything at all is like, _huge_ for her. That's kinda sorta brave, I guess? She's still kind of a wuss, but she makes you wanna cheer for her. It pisses me off that she always puts herself second, though." Rainbow's brow wrinkled. "Like, who's being nice for _Fluttershy?_ Who's looking out for her when she's bending over backwards being all sweet and kind to everyone else? Did you guys know they treat her like crap at her job? It makes me wanna go over there and— _arrgh!_ " Rainbow ruffled her hair.

"Er… Rainbow?" Twilight prompted.

Rainbow Dash looked at her bookish friend. The other girl had on a pursed smile as she gestured at the white board. The corner that had been dedicated to pros had run out of space. Rainbow bolted upright, her eyes going wide. "No way!" she exclaimed.

Sunset Shimmer crossed her arms and smirked at the board. "Hmm… Twilight, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Dashie forgot she was just listing pros for your mind map there!"

Twilight smiled, one eyebrow arching. "I think you are correct, Sun!"

Rainbow got to her feet, her face burning red. "Now hold on just a second. We already knew I was crushing, okay? The point is that _this_ stuff—" she gestured at the pros, "Doesn't outweigh _that_ stuff!" she gestured at the cons.

Twilight raised the dry erase marker with an eager grin. "I thought you'd say that!" She started writing at the top of the mind map, over _Facts_. "One. We can establish that Fluttershy is a timid and primarily non-confrontational person— _except_ under certain extreme and special circumstances. I can confirm this. Do you also confirm this, Sunset?"

Sunset was leaning on her chair's armrest with her fist against her temple and a wry half-smile on her lips. "I do," she said.

Twilight nodded perfunctorily. "Two. By your own personal observations, Rainbow, we know that Fluttershy _does not wish_ to be limited by her own weaknesses. Sunset, why do we know this is true?"

"You mean besides all those times she fought alongside her friends to stop a magical threat from taking over the world?" Twilight and Sunset smirked at each other. Rainbow detected an inside joke. "Because," Sun continued with a toss of her hair. "When we first started performing as the Sonic Rainbooms, Fluttershy struggled with a debilitating stage fright that made it impossible for her to even participate during private practices." She raised her eyebrows and looked at Rainbow. "She overcame that in just a few weeks, just in time for the Battle of the Bands. She did this because she wanted to be there for her friends."

"This is super interesting, but what point are you guys trying to make?" Rainbow snapped.

Twilight was already writing her next note. "So thanks to deductive reasoning, we can determine that while it's true Fluttershy suffers from a variety of anxieties that hold her back, she _actively_ struggles against these anxieties in an attempt to be there for others and improve her own life." Twilight Sparkle paused to grin over at a nonplussed Rainbow over her shoulder. "Your belief that you and Fluttershy would not work out because she's too shy and you're too aggressive… Well, that doesn't hold up too good, in light of the evidence explored. You see, what Fluttershy both _wants_ and _needs_ ," Twilight started drawing new branches and circles with a feverish energy. "Is for someone who will push her out of her comfort zone. _Not_ someone who will treat her with kid gloves."

"In other words," Sunset Shimmer said with a gentle smile at Rainbow. "She needs a catalyst."

Rainbow blinked at her. Slowly, she said, "I know you think that's supposed to clear things up for me, but—"

"They mean, Fluttershy needs a kick in the butt, not a lollipop and a pat on the head," Spike clarified.

"Ohhh!" Rainbow said, nodding. "Now I gotcha."

Twilight, now sporting an annoyed frowned, cleared her throat. "Yes, well… _Given_ that conclusion, this further cancels out your concern that simply entering into a relationship with Fluttershy would somehow ruin your friendship. The romance itself wouldn't do that. Only your intentions, should you decide to end the relationship, have that capability. The solution to that? Don't try to hurt her on purpose. It's simple." Twilight started scribbling out more notes. "As we all know, Fluttershy is incapable of holding a grudge, and you are far too loyal, Rainbow, to turn your back on a friend just because things didn't work out."

"And what about my focus for soccer?" Rainbow argued obstinately. "My dad has a point! If I'm dating, I'll just get distracted!"

"Weren't you dating Lightning Dust during soccer season in high school?" Sunset asked with a frown.

Rainbow looked at her in surprise. "I think so?"

Twilight snapped her fingers. "Sun, you're right. Rainbow was a nervous wreck halfway through the season because she didn't want to have to compete against Crystal Prep! Lightning Dust was their team captain, right?"

"Yeah, she was," Rainbow answered acerbically. "And you know what? That season _sucked_ because I had to choose between my girlfriend and doing right by my team!"

Sunset shrugged. "Fluttershy isn't a soccer player. You both go to the same school. What I was trying to make clear to you, was that you _can_ maintain your competitive edge while in a relationship. You beat Crystal Prep back then, didn't you?"

"I did." The athlete's fists clenched. "And you know how _that_ turned out afterwards, Sunset," Rainbow muttered resentfully, her hand reaching up to touch just under her right eye. She could almost feel the pain again.

Sunset flinched, her gaze averting. "You're right. I _do_ remember how that turned out. But you know what?" She dared to meet Rainbow's eyes again. "Fluttershy will never do that to you."

Rainbow exhaled hard through her nose and paced in a tight circle in front of the whiteboard. Her eyes scanned Twilight's slanted handwriting, the scrawled words taunting her in bright red marker.

 _It can't be this easy… Can it?_

"That still leaves my dad," Rainbow said, putting her hands on her hips and shifting her weight to one foot. "He'll think I'm stabbing him in the back!"

Twilight snorted. "Blaze? Oh, that solution is easy." She drew a crude picture of Blaze's head and crossed it out. "He's a big jerk and you should just ignore him."

"An excellent conclusion, Twilight Sparkle," Sunset Shimmer said with a slow clap.

Twilight gave a flourishing bow.

Rainbow threw her hands up into the air. "Well I appreciate that you two think this is one big joke, but I'm still out of luck!" She glared at Twilight. "So after all this, I guess you're trying to tell me the spell is a no-go?"

Twilight Sparkle bit her lip and shrugged. "I'm sorry, Rainbow. I have to agree with Sunset—you're making this into something bad, when in fact, it could be very good for you!"

Rainbow groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I'm doomed!"

"Aw, cheer up, Rainbow Dash," Spike said. She looked down at him, and his furry face pressed up into a smile. "If you can't get rid of your feelings… Why not enjoy them? I know when I've got an itch, I always feel better when I scratch it!"

Rainbow nodded slowly. She wagged a finger at the dog. "Y'know what, Spike? Maybe…" she frowned, her eyes glazing. "Maybe you're right. I just have to scratch the itch, and then things will just work out. They've got to, one way or another, right?"

Sunset Shimmer snorted into laughter as Twilight tossed the dry erase marker onto the floor. "You agree when my _dog_ tells you it's okay? _Really?_ " she huffed. She swept an arm at the white board. "What about my mind map!?"

Rainbow knelt down to scratch Spike behind his ear, making him lean into her hand with his tongue lolling. "What?" she said with a teasing grin. "The guy's a genuine canine philosopher!"


	14. Chapter 13

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 13

 _You beat Crystal Prep, didn't you?_

 _And you know how that turned out, Sunset._

The words resurfaced in Sunset Shimmer's head as she and Twilight Sparkle packed up their things. Rainbow was still hanging around, talking about sports with Spike. Sunset glanced at the athlete sidelong. Her lips thinned as her mind's eye landed on an unpleasant memory.

The day after Rainbow Dash had led Canterlot High to victory against Crystal Prep, she had paid Sun a visit. The clouds had been dark and pregnant with an impending storm. A sweet and pungent smell of ozone was thick in the air. Sunset had left her living room window open in anticipation, because she enjoyed the aroma of rain. That was why she heard the heavy footsteps up the stairs to her studio apartment. The person on the other side pounded continuously on her front door, rattling the wood in its frame.

The former Equestrian barked irritably, "All right, _all right_. I'm coming!" She unlocked the door and opened it, "What's the big—" Sunset's face went slack "—deal…?"

Rainbow Dash glowered, her right eye purple and nearly swollen shut. She had her guitar case slung over one shoulder. "I thought we could jam on our guitars for a while," she said. Her rose pink eyes seared into Sunset, as if she could scare away any questions. "You cool with that?"

Sunset's hand slid off the doorknob and covered her mouth. When she had gathered herself, she managed to ask, " _Who—?_ "

"I just need to let off some steam," Rainbow snapped. "If you aren't free, just say so!"

Sunset's eyes searched her friend's face, her brows knitting. "I'm free to jam, but I need _some_ kind of an answer first. It wasn't Blaze, right?"

Rainbow shook her head, her face tensing like the question nettled her.

"Then…" Sunset's eyes narrowed. "Wait. You said you were going to meet your girlfriend today. Was it… _her?_ "

" _Ex-_ girlfriend," Rainbow corrected, her gaze ducking. "There. Ya happy? _Now_ can I come inside?"

Sunset Shimmer just managed to bite back any sympathetic words. Rainbow Dash had made it very clear what she needed right at that moment, and Sun knew what it was like to be in a dark place with few places to turn to.

Without another word, she ushered her friend in. They ended up playing their guitars late into the night. Sun was a more than competent guitar player, but Rainbow Dash's ability to shred was impressive. She played with such speed and skill, it made it difficult for Sunset to keep up with her evolving licks. The notes felt almost like a wall of sound. An _angry_ wall of sound, but it was also tinted with pain.

This memory—a secret that Sunset had kept for Rainbow's sake without ever needing to be asked—was what made Sun worry for her roommate. When Lightning Dust had betrayed her trust, Rainbow had shored up her emotional defenses. Her romances during their first year of college had been short, lasting no more than a week, and it was just about always with someone who didn't go to their school. Sunset never met most of these nameless "girlfriends", but one or two were brought around their dorm room. She didn't like them. One girl in particular had looked at Rainbow's work desk—covered in trophies, framed sports articles, and pictures of Rainbow playing soccer—and said with an infuriating air of approval, "Oh good! Now I have something worthwhile to tell my nosy mother about you."

When Rainbow Dash had informed Sunset Shimmer that she'd dumped that girl the next day, Sunset gave her a high five. It was too bad that just a month later she'd found another girl just like the last. Rainbow couldn't seem to break out of her romantic pattern. The parade of lovers she went through were just sad, watered down versions of Lightning Dust and Blaze.

This latest attraction Rainbow had toward Fluttershy made Sunset quite thrilled, despite the initial denial. Shy was gentle and kind in all the ways that Rainbow's ex-girlfriends were not. _She's also patient and forgiving,_ Sunset thought with a wry smirk. _If anyone can handle being in a relationship with Rainbow Dash and her monster-sized ego, it'd be Fluttershy._

About the time this thought came to pass, Twilight leaned in to whisper as she zipped up her backpack, "I'm glad Rainbow has come to terms with her feelings, but…" she chewed her lip, then said much lower, "What about Applejack?"

Sunset sighed, her smirk vanishing. "Twi, you know AJ's given up."

"And _you_ know it doesn't stop hurting that easily."

This earned the bookworm a weary glance. "If it becomes an issue, we'll be there for her," she whispered back. "One romantic dilemma at a time, please!"

"What are you two whispering about?" Rainbow asked suddenly.

Sunset and Twilight jumped, and they tried their best to look innocent. The athlete was looking at them both with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised. Even Spike sat straight with one ear cocked.

"Nothing," Sun and Twi said in unison.

When they left the building, they began heading toward the quad. The day was cool and partly cloudy.

"So what are you guys doing next?" Rainbow asked with her hands in her pockets.

Sunset Shimmer shrugged. "I have a lecture in an hour, but I'm free till then. Twilight?"

Twilight's eyes squinted in thought. In her hand she gripped Spike's leash. He trotted at her side, his ears perked to the university's ambience. Since Everfree was pet-friendly, he didn't have to hide in her backpack all the time, but the leash was something they had no choice but abide by. "My next lecture isn't until this evening," Twi said with a quick glance at Sunset. "I was going to start studying, but if you two are going to hang out, I'd love to tag along!"

Rainbow's expression soured at this remark. She deftly put Twilight in a standing headlock and rapped lightly on her bookish friend's forehead. "Hell-ooo! You're never 'tagging along', Twilight! When is that going to sink into that egg-shaped head of yours? You're one of us!"

"Ow, ow! Okay, Rainbow!" Twilight managed to wriggle out of the headlock, some strands coming loose out of her tight hair bun. With a frazzled air, she straightened out her blouse and adjusted her glasses. "I suppose I should stop saying that." She smiled sheepishly. "Force of habit."

"How about we get some late breakfast?" Sunset suggested. She patted her stomach. "I skipped eating this morning,"

"Sure!" Rainbow said. "Where though?"

"It's Thursday, so they're doing french toast at the Windigo Dining Hall. We're still early enough to get some before they switch to serving lunch." Twilight shivered with delight. "Have you tried their french toast? They're delicious!"

Sunset Shimmer grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me!"

They redirected for the dining hall, located close to the freshman dorms. It was larger than the one close to the sophomore residence hall and the interior design was reminiscent of a 50s diner, with lots of tile and custom neon signs. The three friends entered the line for the serving counters. As they waited, Sunset nudged Rainbow. "So how are you going to do it?" she asked.

Her roommate blinked at her. "Do what?"

Sunset raised an eyebrow and made air quotations. "Y'know. About your 'itch'?"

Rainbow shrugged one shoulder, her chin tilting up as she scanned the tables of the dining area. It was true that it was busy that morning, but Sun knew her sporty friend was only trying to buy herself time to respond while appearing unconcerned. Finally, Rainbow said, "I'll ask her out."

"Just like that?" Twilight chimed in. Her eyebrows shot up. "Like on a _date,_ date?"

Rainbow frowned at her. "Yeah. Why?"

Twilight blushed and looked away. "Oh. Nothing."

"No, come on, _what?_ "

Sunset smiled patiently and put a hand on Rainbow's shoulder. "Rainbow." Her roommate turned a disgruntled gaze on her. "Remember how we said Fluttershy needs a catalyst? You two are opposites in a good way, but if you come on too strong, she'll get nervous and rabbit on you."

Rainbow's face screwed up. "Just from asking her on a date?" Sunset and Twilight nodded their heads. The athlete rubbed the back of her neck, one eye squinting. "Then how am I supposed to let her know I'm interested in her? Write a coded message?"

"I'd keep it simple," Twilight said, slipping once again into her authoritative tone. "I read once that the other party is more likely to be engaged if you set things up so that they feel some measure of control. You can push Fluttershy's limits, Rainbow, but give her a chance to act too."

"You go ninety percent of the way, and Fluttershy has to do the last ten," Sunset said, nodding. "Doing it that way will probably be better for you both in the long run. She needs to feel confident with you, after all. Fluttershy won't if you're taking too much of a lead. Asking her out on the spot will force her to confront all of her anxieties at once. That's a tall order for any person to deal with, let alone Flutters!"

Rainbow puckered her lips as she let this advice sink in. All the while they moved steadily up the line. The food trays were close.

"Okay, how about I still take her out, but I make it out like it's just to say 'thank you' for her helping me with the project?" she suggested.

Sunset smiled. "That's better. She might still get nervous, but if she has something safe to keep her grounded—like you two still just acting like business as usual—then she'll open up more."

Rainbow held up a hand, her eyes glazing. "Come to think of it, I already kind of had to do that. So I guess you guys are right."

"Really?" Sunset asked.

"Yeah." Rainbow said, looking at her absently. "It was at the mall last night, when she was showing me this—" she broke off, her cheeks tinging. Hastily, she looked away. "Clothes…thing."

"Clothes thing?" Twilight repeated with a frown.

Sunset's face twisted with confusion as well, but her expression cleared and tinted red as she recalled something Rainbow had let slip earlier:

 _She has great taste in lingerie._

"Rainbow, you went shopping with Fluttershy?" Twilight pressed, still oblivious. "That's a surprise! I didn't even think either of you were that interested in—"

"Oh look! Food trays!" Sunset butted in loudly. The line had moved up enough that she could reach around the people in front of them and grab one. "Here's one for you, Rainbow. And you, Twilight."

"Er, thanks?" Twilight said as she took her tray.

Sunset smiled apologetically at her as their line moved up. No longer needing to reach to get a tray, she waited till the stack was right next to them to reach for one when a man grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of line. She jerked away instinctively, her other hand rising up like a hoof ready to trample the unexpected threat. She stopped cold when her eyes met the beady black gaze of the person holding her.

"Bray," she said with displeasure.

* * *

Rainbow Dash drew herself up as she stepped out of the line, red flags springing up in her mind as Sunset pulled out of the stranger's grip.

'Bray' was a tall man with a wiry frame stuffed into a tacky black track suit. He had a long face that still seemed to struggle to accommodate his massive donkey-sized teeth. His brown hair was cut short on the sides, but was long at the top, and it flopped into his black eyes.

"Sunny," Bray said in a high, phlegmy voice. "We need to talk."

Rainbow Dash stepped closer, her lip curling. "Who do you think you are, pal? You can't just—"  
Sunset grabbed Rainbow by the arm. Hard.

With cold calmness, Sun said to Bray, "This isn't a good time. Can we set up a meeting later?"

"No," Bray said, crossing his arms. "We have an issue right now."

Sunset pursed her lips. "Fine." She looked at the others with apology written across her face. "Guys, I'm sorry—"

"No way am I letting you go off by yourself!" Rainbow snapped. "Who is this guy? Why's he bugging you?"

Bray sneered at her. "Mind your own business, little girl."

Rainbow's eyes flashed and her fists clenched as she took a menacing step toward the man. "That's it, creep!"

Sunset stepped in front of her. "Rainbow, stop!"

Twilight peeked around the athlete at Bray, her arms hugged close to her chest. Spike growled at her feet. "I agree with Rainbow, Sunset. I'd rather not see you leave with this man!"

"It's not up to either of you," Sunset returned hotly. Her eyes locked onto Rainbow's. "Rainbow Dash…please trust me."

"I dunno Sun," Rainbow replied. "I don't like this."

"Just _trust_ me!" Sunset insisted.

Rainbow puckered her lips and stepped back, both hands held up.

Sunset turned to Bray. "Let's get this over with."

The tomboy watched with a growing sense of unease as her roommate walked off with the man. She turned to Twilight and asked tightly, "Do you have any idea what just happened?"

Twilight sighed heavily. "Let's get back in line and I'll tell you what I know…"

* * *

That day, Fluttershy had an earlier shift at the animal hospital, so she rose early and quickly got ready. When she arrived at her work, she helped Honey Grace with seeing to the needs of their stay-in patients, and afterwards, they did station prep. By the time the first customer had come through the door, the pair of vet assistants were ready and waiting to assist the techs. Fluttershy tried to stay present in the moment, but her thoughts kept wandering to the night before:

 _Fluttershy, the things you say are honest. It's what you feel, and it's like… I dunno. All net._

The shy girl thought to herself as she held a cat for a blood draw, _All net?_ _Does this mean she felt something? She said she liked my lyrics._ She bit her lip, her grip slackening. _Oh, but I_ ruined _it by saying it was about Bulk Biceps! Why did I have to panic? Why can't I be brave like her?_

The cat jerked a leg free from Fluttershy's grip, slashing Sugar Spin's hand. The vet tech let out a yelp, clutching her hand to her chest. Her green eyes flashed with indignation as she glared.  
"Nice going!" she snapped, making Fluttershy wilt.

"Gosh, I'm really sorry, Sugar Spin!" Shy said as she hugged the cat to her chest. It was purring happily.

Sugar snorted and glanced at her hand. The scratch was just behind her first knuckle. Blood was trickling down to her wrist. "That's just great," she sighed.

Fluttershy started to return the cat to its carrier. "Here, let me get you a band-aid."

"Don't bother," Sugar Spin snapped. She held up the capped needle. "I got the blood. Just take the cat back to the front and let the owners know we'll inform them of the results."

Fluttershy's shoulders slumped as she watched her co-worker leave the examination room. Petting the cat's head, she murmured, "I'm ever so sorry I didn't do right by you, Fluffles. The needle must have hurt when you moved. I should have had a better grip on you. You didn't know any better!"

The cat mewled softly, its ears pert and forward as it held her gaze.

Fluttershy sighed and returned it to its carrier. Picking it up carefully, she carried the feline out to its owner. Just as she got through wishing the customer a good day, Sandy Scarab called out to her. "Fluttershy!" The girl looked at her supervisor in confusion. The older woman gestured for her to come to the back with some air of urgency.

Fearing the worst, Fluttershy joined the woman in the back hallway. Sandy's face was pale and drawn. "Fluttershy, Honey Grace just let a parrot fly out the back door."

"A parrot? You mean she let out Captain Smitty!?" Fluttershy squeaked.

Sandy nodded, her eyes closing with a look of suffering. "Yes. Prism and Sugar Spin are prepping to assist Doctor Heartclaw with a scheduled surgery. Honey is out looking for the bird right now. Can you please go help her? With luck, we won't have any more emergencies come through the door in the next couple of minutes, and our other patients don't require any immediate attention." Sandy put a hand on her hip and breathed heavily through her nose. "You see, I wouldn't normally send both my vet assistants out, but that bird belongs to a _very_ important client. The faster we get the bird, the faster we can get back on track."

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, I understand! I'll go right now. Is Honey just behind the building?"

"Yes. The bird's wings were clipped so it couldn't have gone far!"

"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll try my best!" Fluttershy hurried down the hallway, and as she passed the surgery room, her ear tweaked to the sound of Prism laughing.

"That's what you get for trusting too much in the animal witch!" the vet tech giggled.

Fluttershy slowed to a stop just past the door, her eyes widening.

"Ugh, I know," Sugar Spin groaned. "Have you noticed she's been spacing out more?"

"She's getting almost as bad as Honey Grace."

"What did we do to deserve these weird vet assistants? Can't Sandy scrape up better college brats?"

Fluttershy could feel the tears prick her eyes, but she took a deep breath and willed the lump to leave her throat. Captain Smitty was out in the streets and at risk of getting hurt, and Honey Grace needed help finding him. She could feel sorry for herself later.

Even as she told herself this, Fluttershy's lower lip trembled when leaving through the rear exit.  
Behind the animal hospital, there was the small employee parking lot. Honey Grace could be seen on all fours, facing the building, peeking under Doctor Heartclaw's imported luxury car.

"Honey?" Fluttershy said, her voice a little hoarse from trying to keep her emotions in check.

Her co-worker didn't react right away. After several seconds went by, she slowly raised her head and looked at Fluttershy. "Hi," she said without much feeling. She blinked once, slowly. "Did Sandy send you to help me?"

"Yes," Fluttershy said, drawing closer. "Do you know where you last saw Captain Smitty?"

"The parrot went under Doctor Heartclaw's car," Honey said without any sense of hurry. She peeked under the car again. "I can't see him, though."

Fluttershy wrung her hands. "How long ago was that?"

Honey shrugged without rising up. "Five minutes? Maybe?"

"Did you check under the other cars?"

"No."

Fluttershy started fidgeting on the spot, her head craning this way and that as she scanned for all possible perches—trees, bushes, street lights— "Honey, we might be better off spreading our search."

Honey Grace didn't move. "Okay."

The shy girl let out a little whine at her co-worker's lack of urgency, and went to quickly check under the other cars. Nothing. Next, she searched the bushes lining the back of the building. Still nothing. Even a quick glance at the light posts at the sidewalk was fruitless. There were no trees nearby—none that Fluttershy felt a bird with clipped wings would feel daring enough to traverse an intimidating landscape to try and reach, at least.

She went back to Honey Grace, who was still on all fours, looking under Doctor Heartclaw's car. With an air of defeat, she dropped down to sit on the curb. "I don't see Captain Smitty anywhere." Fluttershy hugged herself, the tears she had been keeping at bay finally spilling forth unchecked. "Oh, I hope he's all right!"

"Don't cry. It's not your fault, it's mine," Honey said in a level, matter-of-fact tone. "The bird got away because I'm slow."

Fluttershy's brow wrinkled as she sniffled back snot. "You're not that slow—"

"As in stupid." Somehow the other girl's voice became flatter than usual. "I know that's what everyone thinks."

"Er, well…" Shy's cheeks colored and she wiped at her eyes. She tried to stiffen her quivering lip and said earnestly, " _I_ don't think of you that way!"

Honey sighed and rose up to sit on her heels. "It's okay." She frowned softly. "I get it. I _am_ slow. Half the time I don't know what to do until someone tells me. Even if I do some stuff all right, it doesn't matter if I have to be told all the time. There's nothing useful in having a moron to babysit."

"You're not a moron, Honey Grace. If anyone is...it'd be me." The pre-vet covered her face with her hands and sighed, her mind skimming the memories of the recent mishap with Sugar Spin, and the false confession to Rainbow Dash the night before. "I can't do anything right," Fluttershy said into her palms.

"Sure you can."

"Like what?" The shy girl peeked through her fingers at the other girl.

"Pet names." Honey squinted one eye at her. "You _never_ call a pet by anything other than its name. How do you remember them all so well? And why bother? Most don't stay with us for more than a day, and half of them never come back! I mean, I get saying their names in front of customers so that they feel their pet is 'valued', but you do it _all_ the time, even if no one else is around."

Fluttershy brushed back a stray lock of hair. "Oh! Um…" she shrugged delicately. "When I hear a pet's name, I look at them and repeat it over and over in my head. It also helps to think of them as my own pets. That way they're never just another animal. It's like… It's like they're all my special friends."

Honey Grace nodded like this was deep and sage wisdom. Fluttershy wondered with some discomfort why this would be a revelation to anyone, let alone someone who works with animals, but she kept her views silent.

 _Not everyone works the same way you do, Fluttershy_ , she admonished herself. _We've seen enough evidence of that since we've started working here!_

Honey Grace, after taking some time to let Fluttershy's words sink in, dropped down to look under Doctor Heartclaw's car again. "Anyway, it looks like you're depressed about something _other_ than this parrot."

Fluttershy nodded guiltily. She gazed morosely at her knees. "I told someone I liked that I would go to their soccer practice on Sunday, no matter what, and they were _really_ excited about it, but now I think I have to break my promise." Fluttershy gestured behind her at the animal hospital. "No one likes me here, and unless we can find Captain Smitty, I doubt Sandy would let me off even if someone _would_ switch shifts with me…"

"That sucks. I'm sorry," Honey said. She actually sounded like she meant it, in her own muted way.

Fluttershy smiled wanly. "May I ask you something?"

Honey nodded. "Shoot."

She pointed at the car. "You haven't moved from there since I came outside. Would you mind telling me why?"

Honey rose up, glanced at the car, then looked back at Fluttershy. "I think that Captain Smitty is here." A pause. "Because he's cold."

Fluttershy blinked. "Cold?"

Honey nodded. "Doctor Heartclaw started his shift when Doctor Scale clocked out half an hour ago." She reached under the car. "The engine is still warm…"

Fluttershy got up and went to the other side of the car. She went down on all fours, her eyes meeting Honey's under the vehicle. "You think Captain Smitty crawled up _into_ the car?"

Honey nodded. "Yes."

"Is there a reason you haven't tried to slide under to look up into the car's carriage?" Fluttershy asked without malice.

"If he was cold, I wanted to give him a chance to warm up," Honey Grace said.

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Oh! That's…nice of you?"

"Not really." Honey Grace's lips quirked up into a smile. "I like seeing Sandy sweat."

"O-oh…"

"Yeah. I know that sounds bitchy but…" Honey scowled. "She called me dumb. To my face."

Fluttershy frowned. "That's very mean!"

"Yeah. She told me this morning. She also thinks I sniff the cleaning supplies. I don't."

Fluttershy blushed again. _Oh my! I sort of assumed the same thing, didn't I…?_

She swallowed and said carefully, "Honey...I'm sorry that you have to contend with these assumptions. I know the others have opinions of me that I'd rather they didn't. But we have to remember that between us all are the patients. They need us back inside."

Honey sighed. "Sure." As she rolled onto her back to scoot under the car, she said to Fluttershy. "See? There you go again, thinking just about the animals. That's cool."

"It's easier to think of them when you remember that they have rights like all living creatures do," Fluttershy said seriously.

Honey raised an eyebrow. "Rights?" She turned her gaze onto the car's undercarriage. "When you put it that way, it feels…obvious. And it's supposed to be, huh?" She frowned. "But stuff makes you forget. I joined this pre-vet program because I thought working with animals would be cool. You sort of assume that makes you a good person automatically, but I guess that isn't true. You have to feel it too." She reached up into the car, her eyes squinting. "That'd be cool, I guess. To feel something. I'm not good at that, so I guess I'd have to work at it."

There was a squawk. Fluttershy grinned excitedly as Honey Grace lowered her hand, which carefully gripped a small struggling green parrot, whose scrawny body had patches of feathers missing.

Together, they went back inside. Before they could even make it to the animal cages, Sandy Scarab intercepted them in the hallway.

"You found him! Thank goodness…" She heaved a great big sigh. "I was about to go out there myself!"

"Honey found him," Fluttershy said with a smile.

Sandy raised an eyebrow and smirked as if this idea amused her. "Oh, did she?"

Fluttershy's smile waned as her brow tensed. "Yes."

The hospital manager crossed her arms as she turned a cool eye on Honey Grace. "How appropriate, considering she's the one who caused this mess to start with!"

"It wasn't Honey's fault, ma'am," Fluttershy said, her frown deepening. Her smile was gone now.

Sandy scowled at her. "Fluttershy…" her voice held warning.

"It was mine," the girl said, her spine curling.

This earned her a raised eyebrow. " _Excuse_ me?"

Fluttershy dropped her gaze. "I was the one who left Captain Smitty's cage open during the morning rounds. Honey was cleaning the employee room at the time!" When this didn't earn an immediate response, she dared to look up through her bangs.

Sandy's lip curled as she looked between Fluttershy and Honey Grace. Her jaw set. "It was a failure on _both_ your parts. See to it that it doesn't happen again, please!"

"Yes, ma'am," they said simultaneously.

Sandy Scarab shook her head as she turned to return to her office.

Fluttershy felt her co-worker staring at her, and looked at her bashfully. "What?"

"You didn't let out Captain Smitty. That was my fault." Honey frowned. "You lied to Sandy. You didn't have to do that."

Fluttershy put a finger to her lips. She glanced up and down the hall to make sure no one was coming, then whispered, "I didn't like her attitude." She scowled. "I'm starting to think she's just a big meanie in disguise."

Honey Grace continued to stare at Fluttershy. Just as the pre-vet student was beginning to get creeped out, Honey said, "I'll do it."

Fluttershy blinked. "Er… Do what?"

"I'll take your Sunday shift."

Shy's eyes widened. "Y-you will!?"

"Yeah." Honey shrugged and gently stroked Captain Smitty's head. "Besides, I'm going to need more practice if I'm going to ever get as good at dealing with animals as you are." She started to walk down the hallway, toward the animal cage room. All the while, Fluttershy could hear her murmuring:

"Captain Smitty… Captain Smitty… Captain Smitty…"


	15. Chapter 14

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 14

"So what do you know about Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked Twilight Sparkle barely half a second after they had taken their seats with their meals. Spike hopped up into the seat next to his master, his ears perked to their conversation. He couldn't speak with so many people around, but it was clear he didn't want to be left out.

The bookish girl pushed her glasses up her nose and glanced around. She leaned in over her steaming plate of hot french toast, and Rainbow did the same. "Ever since we started college, I've observed something peculiar that happens just before every new semester starts."

The athlete arched an eyebrow. "Yeah? And what's that?"

"Sunset vanishes." Twilight licked her lips, her brow knotting as she looked down in thought. "She just kind of disappears for a few days. No one can call her or text her. When she comes back from wherever she's gone, she says she came down with something."

"And that's not the answer?"

Twilight shot Rainbow an annoyed look. "I wouldn't be bringing it up if I had accepted it as a coincidence! I'll admit that at first I thought nothing of her absences, but then one day it struck me that Sunset _always_ gets sick exactly one month before a new semester." A student passed by their table, and Twilight sat up quickly, her eyes darting to the side as if afraid the stranger may have overheard.

Rainbow sat back with more ease, though her expression was now tight with befuddlement. "I guess that is kind of strange."

"Exactly!" Twilight said, leaning in again. "But after she did it again last month, I asked her about it, and she just shrugged it off! I might have even taken her at her word if not for one important thing."

"What?"

"A gold coin fell out of her bag." Twilight gestured at Spike. "Spike saw before she swiped it up. She got really nervous and left in a hurry after that."

Rainbow's eyes fluttered. "Woah, hold the phone. You mean…Sunset had real _gold?_ "

Twilight shrugged. "I don't know! I couldn't confirm it myself, but Spike says it looked pretty real. If I had to go purely off of Sunset's reaction, though, that would be a plausible conclusion to draw. I mean, why get upset over something that's fake?"

Rainbow Dash frowned and started to spread the butter over her french toast. "O-kay. So Sun disappears, comes back with gold, but freaks out when one of her close friends sees it." She set down her butter knife and began to pour syrup over her breakfast from the little cup on her tray. "That sounds fishy to me." Rainbow thumbed over her shoulder. "But how does that relate to that 'Bray' guy?"

Twilight pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing. "Well he's clearly not a student of Everfree. He had no backpack or books. Plus, it's unusual to see even older students at any of the campus cafeterias. Most who take advantage of school food are closer to our age." She sat back and started to spread the butter over her own french toast. "Bray had a threatening air about him. It's clear his visit was meant to send an intimidating message, and I'd be willing to bet he wasn't coming on his own behalf. He lacked the charisma of someone in charge."

"You think he's a criminal or something?" Rainbow made a face. She crudely cut a large piece of french toast with her plastic fork, then after a moment of chewing, said around her food, "What would Sunset Shimmer be doing talking to criminals?"

Twilight pursed her lips as she started to pour her syrup over her meal. "The gold."

"Huh?"

"Remember the gold!" Twilight took her fork and knife and began to neatly cut her french toast into small pieces. "Where is Sunset getting the gold from, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as she took another bite of french toast. "Umm…" She racked her brain, her gaze turning up in thought. "Wait. I _think_ I remember Sunset telling us that ponies in Equestria used mostly gold coins for their money."

Twilight nodded eagerly. "Yes! They call them 'bits'." She carefully forked a piece of french toast and gave one to Spike, who ate it with a wag of his tail. "Knowing that, what's one guess we can make as to where it is that Sunset might vanish to, where she would then return from _with_ gold coins on her person?"

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened, understanding finally dawning on her. "You mean she's been going back to Equestria to get _pure gold_ to pay for her semesters here at Everfree!?" she blurted.

Twilight shushed her. She looked around to make sure no one had heard before hissing, "Yes! At least, that is my latest theory. I haven't had the opportunity to substantiate it yet. All of my evidence so far has only been circumstantial." She speared a piece of french toast with her fork, then gestured at Rainbow Dash with it. "But continuing along this theory, we have to ask ourselves…how can Sunset _spend_ her money? You can't just go to the store, drop gold coins on the counter, and expect not to raise a fuss!" She carefully took the piece of french toast into her mouth.

Rainbow frowned. "So…the thug we saw?"

Twilight nodded slowly, relief flooding her features now that her friend was all caught up. She swallowed her food, then said, "My guess is that Sunset may be relying on less than savory sources to launder her Equestrian funds in our world! Doing so would prevent odd questions from say…the IRS for example?"

"But that would be stupid!" Rainbow said. "Why would Sunset put herself at risk like that when she could probably cover everything with scholarships?"

Twilight gave her a dry look. "Oh. Yes. I'm sure Sunset Shimmer's legal documents—like her birth certificate and social security number—will no doubt hold up to scrutiny by the government or some charitable organization looking to pay for her _entire_ education!" The bookworm shook her head. "It's not that simple for Sunset, Rainbow. I've talked to her, and she's constantly worried that someday, someone is going to realize that a lot of her papers had to be forged. You forget, Sunset wasn't actually _born_ here. There's also her alter-dimensional twin she has to worry about. If you look at her 'birth certificate', you'll see that she had to change the spelling of her name just to keep people from making the connection between her and her other self."

Rainbow grimaced. "Geez, what a headache!"

Twilight sighed. "Tell me about it." She speared another piece of french toast, gave that to Spike, then forked a new piece for herself. Just before taking a bite, she said, "And that, Rainbow Dash, is all that I know. Or at least, all that I _think_ I know."

Rainbow cut another large piece of french toast with her fork. "Well how about we stop guessing and try to find out, huh?"

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"You follow Sunset," Rainbow said with a shrug. "Text me if you see or hear anything. I'll try and snoop around our dorm to see if I can find some clues."

Twilight tucked in her chin. "I don't know, Rainbow. I want to help Sunset, but it might be crossing a line snooping like that!"

Rainbow scowled at her. "Oh please! One way or another, Sunset is obviously up to something iffy, so it's only right that her friends try to watch her back!" She snorted. "If she wasn't such a stubborn wannabe-martyr, we wouldn't have to resort to this crap."

Twilight's eyes ticked back and forth in thought. Spike barked, making her jump and look at him. His eyes were wide, and he looked quickly between his master and Rainbow Dash.

The girl sighed, scratching her dog's head. "You're right, Spike. We should at least give it a shot." She looked seriously at Rainbow. "I'll keep an eye on Sunset. I can't be with her all the time, but since we have the same degree program, we're usually pretty close to one another. Plus, that project kind of helps give me an excuse to see her too!"

"Sweet," Rainbow said with a grin.

* * *

They finished their meals with relative gusto—all the conversation and drama had apparently worked up both their appetites. Rainbow Dash patted Spike on the head, then gave Twilight a quick one-arm hug before pulling out her blue penny board and skating across campus. Since she had ditched her survey class, she still had some time to kill before her practice that day. She skated to the quad, waving amiably at those she recognized on the way there. That's when she saw him.

Bulk Biceps was out in the grass doing push-ups with two giggling girls sitting on his back. Rainbow nearly fell off her board when she realized one of those girls was Sassaflash. She braked fast, picked up her board, and made her way over to the spectacle, which had managed to attract its own crowd of onlookers. "You've gotta be kidding," she muttered as she stopped and joined those egging the body builder on.

Bulk didn't even looked fazed, his lips curved up in a smile as Sassaflash and the other girl—Fleetfoot, a sprinter, and one of Rainbow's classmates from English—giggled together like a pair of grade schoolers.

"Sassaflash," Rainbow called, pulling out her phone and opening her camera app with the tap of a side button. Sass looked up sharply, her smile wiping at the sight of her soccer captain. "Say cheese!" She took a picture.

Blushing hard, Sassaflash practically vaulted off of Bulk's back, making the man pause and look at her in confusion. "Sorry, gotta go!" she said, stooping to grab her backpack off of the grass.

Fleetfoot pouted, her red eyes fluttering. "Aww…but Sass, Bulk was going to beat his record!"

Sassaflash barely looked at the other girl as she went to stand next to Rainbow Dash. "Maybe next time, Fleety."

Rainbow grinned at her. "Oh no, I'd hate to cut Bulk's record attempt short!"

Sass gave her a warning look, then started to swiftly walk away.

Chuckling, Rainbow went to stand before Bulk. The crowd around them began to dissipate, their entertainment ruined. Fleetfoot, oddly enough, still refused to stand. The powerlifter didn't appear bothered by this in the slightest, though he did look up curiously as Rainbow leaned over and held up her phone. The angle afforded her a perfect view of Bulk's deer-in-the-headlights expression, and Fleetfoot peering curiously from her coveted perch on his back.

"Uh, hey Rainbow Dash," Bulk said.

Rainbow gave him a pursed-lip smile as she took a picture. "What's up, Bulkster."

His face tensed with worry. "You're not here to talk about my membership dues for this month, right? I told your dad I'd have it by the end of the week—!"

She had already straightened and was walking away. Over her shoulder she said, "Naw, don't worry about it, buddy. You're good." Rainbow looked at her phone and grinned wickedly. "Rea-ally good…" She brought up her text conversation with Fluttershy, attached her 'flattering' picture of Bulk Biceps, and added the message:

 **R: Look! Bulk is savin u a seat 3**

She snickered as she hit send. Looking up, she saw Sassaflash waiting for her back at the cement path, her arms crossed and a tense look on her face.

"What?" She said, shrugging.

"Can you please delete that picture?"

Rainbow frowned. "The one I just took?"

"No, the one I took of your dad in his birthday suit. _Yes_ the one you just took!"

"Woah, chill. I can delete it." Rainbow brought up her photo gallery and highlighted the picture. Holding the screen out so that Sassaflash could see, she tapped the trash icon. The picture vanished from the library. "Done. Okay? Are we cool, now?"

Sassaflash's cheeks flushed pink, and she visibly sagged. She covered her face with her hands and sighed roughly. "I'm sorry. Caramel and I only just made up. I don't need another reason for us to fight."

Rainbow frowned as she slipped her phone away. "No offense, dude, but if you're so intent on not upsetting your boyfriend, maybe you shouldn't be flirting around with other guys?"

"I know…" Sass pouted and stubbed a toe into the ground. "But Bulk is nice. Like a teddy bear."

Rainbow smirked. "And he's also jacked."

Sassaflash grinned coyly at her.

The tomboy rolled her eyes. Sass began to backpedal away, her hands clasped behind her back. "I gotta get to class. Catch you at practice?"

Rainbow waved. "Yep!" Her hand stilled in the air when she heard her phone start ringing, the device also vibrating in her pocket. Confused, she pulled it out and actually flinched. It was Rainbow Blaze.

Closing her eyes, she took a moment to take a bracing inhale, then accepted the call on her phone's screen. "Hello?" she said as casually as possible.

"Rainbow, I want to see you tonight," Blaze said.

Her mind went on alert. Her father's voice was flat. His words were clipped.

He was unhappy.

"Dad, is something up?" she asked nervously.

"I haven't heard from you since we talked last. I didn't think it was necessary to have to demand to be kept in the loop, and yet here I am. Demanding."

Rainbow's grip on her phone tightened and she took another calming breath. Through her teeth, she said, "I'm busy. I got class, and practice, and I'm meeting my _friend_ tonight—"

"Make time. I'll be at the office until late." Then Blaze hung up.

Rainbow glared at the phone, as if hoping that somehow the force of her ire could reach through the data network to clock her father in the eye. She jumped when the phone started to ring again. It wasn't Blaze this time.

Without hesitation, Rainbow answered, a grin splitting wide across her face. "Hey, Fluttershy!"

"Hi, Rainbow. I'm on break. I thought I'd call since you're apparently free…" there was a note of wryness to the other girl's voice that made the athlete chuckle.

"Did you like my picture?" Rainbow Dash asked, rocking back onto her heels.

"Rainbow, please be nice. Bulk has always had his admirers—!"

"That you claim to be one of—"

"I'm just trying to say that I can't fault him for that…" Fluttershy mumbled.

"You know I've got admirers too," Rainbow stated innocently.

There was a pause on the other end of the call. "Oh?"

"Yeah," the soccer player said. She was grinning so hard her face ached. "Tons of 'em. Sometimes, when I'm feeling mean, I string them behind me like a parade and stop traffic. The cops love me."

"That's kind of mean to your admirers, don't you think?" Fluttershy asked, just a hint of a quaver to her voice.

Rainbow's grin softened and she ducked her head. "Yeah, kind of. I don't mean to though. Someone smart told me that maybe I'm afraid of commitment or something."

"But you aren't afraid of anything!" Fluttershy protested, as if pointing out the obvious.

Rainbow's smile turned delirious as she bit her lip. Her chest swelled and she slapped a hand over her heart. _Geez, and I bet she isn't even trying to make feel like this!_

"You're right," she finally managed to say after a moment. Her voice sounded husky. "So that's why I thought, 'I'll prove this egghead wrong' by doing just that. Committing."

"And how will you do that, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked. "Do you have someone in mind?"

"I do. Wanna guess who?"

"Umm…"

Rainbow covered her mouth and laughed silently as she heard Fluttershy shift in a chair over the line.

"It's…not your vice captain, is it?" the other girl asked.

That made the tomboy's eyebrows shoot up. "Who, Sass? No way! She's straight as an arrow."

"Thank goodness!" Fluttershy breathed. "Er, I mean—not that I dislike her! I'd just hate to see your teamwork affected by a relationship!"

Rainbow couldn't help but tease a little. "Riiight…"

"I mean it!"

"Like when you meant it when you said you like Bulk Biceps?"

A groan. "Oh Rainbow, not this again."

"Come on, Fluttershy. We both know you freaked and said the first name that popped into your head. Just tell me who the song is really for, and I'll let it go!"

"I… I can't," Fluttershy sighed. She sounded defeated. Rainbow's grin waned. That wasn't what she had intended for.

"Flutters, I'm gonna tell you a secret. You ready?"

"O-okay."

"I may have a parade of admirers, but I'm not interested in any of them. You wanna know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm too busy parading after someone as awesome as I am."

Fluttershy exhaled over the receiver, causing the line to distort. "Who… Who is that?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

Rainbow looked down at her sneakers, her face coloring red. She smirked and said, "Well, I'd tell you, but I'm kind of feeling exposed here. I mean, I'm the only one sharing after all."

"So you'll only tell if I tell?" Fluttershy squeaked.

The tomboy let out a laugh. She was trembling all over, her chest warm. "How about this," she said. "I'll write my song lyrics like I was writing to my crush. Then I want you to tell me if you can guess who it is."

"But what if I don't know who it is?"

Rainbow's gaze turned soft, her grin fading. She started to walk slowly, no destination in mind, just happy feelings carrying her forward. "Trust me," she murmured. "You'll know."


	16. Chapter 15

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 15

Rainbow Dash had used her free time before practice to work on Fluttershy's song— _their_ song. She would have gone back to her dorm to fetch her guitar and let the melodies buoy her ideas, but the walk from her dorm to the soccer field alone would have cut into her creative time. Instead, she sat in the soccer stands, her gaze focused on a torn piece of journal paper. The pattern for every lyric line, derived from the number of syllables on each verse, was easy enough to see— _Long, long, short, mid, mid, short, short, mid._ The only section that deviated from that was the chorus, and that was going to remain the same. But coming up with feelings and imagery that fit into Fluttershy's pattern _and_ theme at the same time?

 _What is she telling me?_ Rainbow thought with a frown. _What's the song's point?_

She didn't have to think too long on that:

 _Craving._

Rainbow Dash blushed as she shifted in her seat.

 _Okay. So… It's not just me she's telling me she wants, though. Shy never writes on one level like that. She keeps talking about how she wishes she were braver and stronger._ Rainbow's brow furrowed. _Less lonely._

Her pencil tapped the edge of the binder she was using to write on. Then her eyes widened, and the tomboy scribbled out a broken phrase in a messy scrawl:

 _Smart._

Rainbow stared down at the word, her throat tightening. A grimace formed on her face. Fluttershy was being honest about her weaknesses. Rainbow's first instinct was to say she had none to lament, but this was of course, not the case. She didn't need to be some egghead to see that. After all, how else had she landed this psychology project? _Not by being smart, that's for sure,_ she thought, her grimace deepening. If she wanted her lyrics to fit Fluttershy's theme, while at the same time resonating with the girl she was intent on wooing, then she had to give to get a little. Even if it was uncomfortable.

Thus, from the first idea, Rainbow Dash made an arrow from _Smart_ and scribbled, _Real_. She sighed roughly, now outright glaring at her pencil, as if it had betrayed some kind of secret. Fluttershy was, in many ways, straightforward. Though she wasn't completely without guile, she wasn't very good at lying or putting up fronts. Anyone paying attention could easily see her interest, her sadness, her fear, and her joy. Much like Applejack, she never went out of her way to be someone she wasn't. Sure, she concerned herself with being polite and not making others upset, but her attempts in avoiding stepping on anyone's toes never translated into adopting a whole different persona. Most of their friends couldn't claim the same, Rainbow Dash included. There was something enviable in that, the soccer player decided.

With pursed lips, she made another arrow as one more idea struck her. At the arrow's tip, she wrote: _Constant._ Rainbow had originally thought of her earlier conversation with Sunset, where the other girl had accused her of being afraid of commitment. Somehow, though, her thoughts skimmed memories of Lightning Dust…

And of her mother.

Steeling herself from these uncomfortable recalls, Rainbow made another arrow leading back up to _Smart_ , creating a kind of triangle. She blinked down at the simple mind map. She didn't usually brainstorm this way, but she supposed Twilight's methods from that morning must have rubbed off on her, because she could feel the inspiration rising.

Flipping the paper over, she started to write down the phrases as quickly as she could before they could forever vanish into the ether of her mind. Once she had her shorthand notes down, she endeavored to make them into intelligible lyrics. A great deal of time passed, and she erased so much the paper nearly wore through. But eventually, she came up with something she thought passable. It wasn't as high brow as Fluttershy's writing, and that bothered her competitive spirit, but she knew her shy friend was more the poet than she. Rainbow's strength wasn't in fancy wordplay—it was in cutting to the heart of the matter. That much she felt she had achieved, at least.

 _I want to be what_  
 _You always know to find_  
 _On standby_  
 _And with answers primed_  
 _Ready, waiting_  
 _Ever real_  
 _Not a ghost_  
 _You cannot feel_

 _I want to be bright_  
 _When I'm usually dull_  
 _Blast away_  
 _The despicable_  
 _Be your beacon when_  
 _Fog gets dense_  
 _Lose my mask_  
 _But keep my sense_

 _It's true_  
 _It's true_  
 _You never know_  
 _The sum of us may never show_  
 _The things we chased but couldn't see_  
 _But to hope, is to sometimes breathe_

When she wrote the chorus in after her lines, it was just to see if her ideas flowed well. What Rainbow Dash got was goosebumps. Hastily, she put the paper away. _I can work_ _more on it later_ , she thought with a tight swallow. _I can only take so much mushy stuff at once!_

It was about time for practice anyway. The girl gathered her things and hurried down to the locker rooms.

* * *

Rainbow wasn't interested in her textbook, which was usually the case, but that particular evening her attention was _especially_ focused on her project helper. As they were sitting next to each other, all she could do was look out of the corner of her eye so as to avoid making her friend self-conscious.

Fluttershy had showered before their library session that night, resulting in her hair being damp and more fragrant than usual. She was also wearing a new, loose-fitting yellow sweater that seemed to have a mind of its own. Rainbow honestly didn't know if the clothing was designed to slip off her friend's delicate shoulders, or if it was simply too big. Either way, Fluttershy absently resisted baring her skin, her hand rising up to slip the cloth back over her shoulders every time it slipped down.

The sweater was new. Rainbow Dash knew this because the price tag was still dangling from the back of the collar. The tomboy chewed her lip as Fluttershy tugged the shirt back over her shoulder, her slim fingers gliding up over her skin. Instead of resting her hand back on the table, the pre-vet let her fingers rest against her neck, where they tapped idly as she scribbled out some note in her journal. Rainbow's head turned more toward her friend as she stared at the offending sleeve sliding back down.

Before Fluttershy could pull it up again, Rainbow Dash reached over, and with just her index finger and thumb, she tugged it back into place. Her companion gave a start as the back of Rainbow's knuckle brushed along her skin. The athlete let go quickly, raising her hand as well as her eyebrows. "Woah! Sorry, Flutters. Didn't mean to scare ya," she said with a grin.

Fluttershy batted her eyes at her before relaxing. She smiled sheepishly. "N-no! It's all right. I apologize. I guess I was a bit engrossed in your outline."

Rainbow gestured at Fluttershy's sweater. "Rarity bought you that one at the mall, right?"

The other girl frowned. "Yes! But how did you know that? I didn't show you the things she got me!"

Swallowing down a laugh, Rainbow Dash reached behind her friend, and with her fingers perhaps brushing Fluttershy's neck more than necessary, she grabbed the price tag and tugged it off. Her friend jumped, her eyes widening as she slapped a hand where the price tag had been.

Fluttershy stared at Rainbow. "Did you just—!?"

Rainbow Dash snickered as she held up the price tag. "Yep! Caught ya. I thought you said you weren't going to keep any of the clothes Rarity bought you?"

The corners of Fluttershy's mouth turned down and her brows pushed up in what looked like distress. "I wasn't going to keep it." Her voice was ghostly thin. With shaking fingers, she took the price tag from a confused Rainbow Dash. "That's why I hadn't taken the price tag off…"

Rainbow paled, grabbing Fluttershy's wrist to get a better look at the tag. She sucked in air. "Two… Two hundred dollars!?" Now the athlete mirrored her friend's look of distress. "Rarity paid _two hundred dollars_ just for this sweater? Was she huffing nail polish or something!? Who _does_ that?"

"I'm going to have to pay her back," Fluttershy whimpered. Tears were clouding her eyes.

Rainbow stiffened, her pupils dilating. _Crap! Think!_

She said quickly, "Rarity wouldn't accept it, anyway! Because, y'know—the 'generosity' thing!"

"Th-then I'll just have to insist!" Shy sobbed softly. She dabbed at the corner of her eye with the edge of a knuckle.

Rainbow couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Uh, sure, Fluttershy. I can see you 'insisting'." This made Fluttershy look at her like a kicked puppy, her chin crumpling. Rainbow Dash flashed her a look of alarm before slapping a hand to her face. "Damn it, no!" She looked at her friend as the tears started to fall and sputtered out, "That's not what I—Flutters, I _know_ you can—I was only trying to— _argh!_ " The athlete practically slammed her forehead onto the table. _Think, Dash! THINK!_

Fluttershy sniffled. "I'm sorry for crying. It's just… I shouldn't have been so careless. When I was getting ready tonight, I remembered this sweater, and out of everything Rarity bought me, I liked it the most." She let out a little moan before sobbing out next, "I've taken advantage of her, Rainbow! I shouldn't have worn it!"

"It's not your fault," the athlete groaned.

"It is!"

"It's _not_."

"It _is!_ "

"See? You can insist just fine." When this failed to cheer up her friend, Rainbow Dash rolled her head to the side, her forehead throbbing. "They might still take the sweater back," she intoned.

"No, they won't," Fluttershy said. "I read the receipts from every store because I wanted to make sure I could return everything without a problem. The store this sweater came from requires the tag."

"That's dumb!"

"It's their p-p-policy!" Fluttershy cried. She covered her face with her hands. "Oh, poor Rarity!"

Rainbow squeezed her eyes shut. It had once been said among their friends that, of all of them, the one who was the worst to listen to crying was Fluttershy. Not because she was loud—Pinkie could easily top her in that department; not because she was dramatic—Rarity clearly won that title; but because hearing the pink-haired girl cry was like a thousand of the saddest songs being played one after the other to a drawn out scene of a scared child looking for their mother in a crowd of indifferent strangers. It was practically unbearable.

Finally, Rainbow couldn't take it anymore. She whipped upright in her chair and blurted: "I'll pay for it!"

Fluttershy was already shaking her head. "No, Rainbow, that's—"

"I'll pay for it, then I'll take you out to dinner tomorrow."

Her friend stared at her, her cheeks turning pink. Her shoulders inched up, making the devilish sweater slip down again. "Dinner?"

Rainbow felt her cheeks color. She shrugged and cleared her throat, her gaze diverting to the table. "Yeah. I was gonna ask if you wanted to go anyway. Y'know, to say thank you for helping me with the project. We've been working every day now, and I thought we could use a break." At Fluttershy's prolonged silence, she rubbed the back of her neck and glanced at her friend. "I mean, if you can't go—"

"I'd love to!" Fluttershy said quickly. Rainbow looked at her to see she wasn't the only one whose blush had intensified. The animal lover wiped the tears away, then started to twirl a lock of hair around her finger as she looked down at her lap. "What did you have in mind?"

Rainbow's heartbeat quickened. _Why didn't I think of that_ before _asking?_ She fidgeted in her seat a moment before saying as casually as possible, "It's a surprise."

"Oh!" Fluttershy bit her lip. Then she asked tentatively. "I… I won't need anything formal, right? You'd tell me if I would?"

Rainbow smiled, relief flooding through her. _The distraction worked! She stopped crying!_ Then her smile widened as her chest puffed a little. _Heh, of course she'd be cheered up by the prospect of more Dashie!_

"Don't worry, Fluttershy. I'm not Rarity. Where we're going, you won't need a cocktail dress," she assured her friend. Then she paused. _Darn, I shouldn't have said that. I bet Shy would look good in something silky…_ She gave her head a shake. _Woah, focus!_

Fluttershy gave her a relieved smile, seemingly unaware of Rainbow's lapse in attention. "That's a relief! My closet is a bit light on formal wear. Rarity is always picking on me for it…" Her brow wrinkled and she looked at Rainbow seriously. "It wouldn't be fair for you to pay for the sweater, Rainbow Dash."

The tomboy groaned inwardly. Without thinking, she put a hand on Fluttershy's jean-covered knee. "Shy, will you let it go already? I ripped the tag off! You were gonna return it! It's _my_ fault! Just stop worrying, and think about—" she broke off as her friend's wide-eyed look finally registered in her brain. "What?" she asked nervously. She followed Fluttershy's line of sight to her offending hand and pulled it back like it had been burned. "Woah! Sorry, I—uh—" She scooted her chair closer to the table, despite the fact that doing so practically dug the edge of it into her gut. " _All right_ , enough horsin' around. We have a project to do…and stuff…"

Fluttershy took a few moments to get over her bewilderment, but she eventually picked up her pen and resumed writing again. The silence between them was thick. Rainbow was brainstorming inventive ways to curse at herself without actually breaking her no-curse Pinkie Promise. She jerked when Fluttershy spoke.

"Thank you," the shy girl murmured.

Rainbow blinked, then grinned hesitantly. "No prob."

They resumed their work, though the quiet felt less oppressive somehow. It was later, just when they were getting ready to leave, that a thought struck Rainbow Dash, making her muscles lock up.

 _Hold up. I don't_ have _two hundred dollars to give Rarity._ She swallowed hard, sweat beading on her brow. _I'm going to have to ask my dad when I see him. Crap._

* * *

From Freenote Library, Rainbow Dash drove straight to her dad's training facility. Ordinarily, she listened to music as part of her mental preparation for seeing her father. In fact, Rainbow Blaze was the reason his daughter had gotten into guitar playing in the first place. While other kids enjoyed sports as an outlet for frustration and nerves, Rainbow couldn't say the same.

It wasn't that she felt anxiety about competing—she loved it, after all. But whatever catharsis she felt from a win was short-lived thanks to Blaze's single-minded determination to keep thinking of the next game, the next opponent, the next championship. After discovering the respite she found in rock music, Rainbow decided she wanted to take ownership of her own enjoyment by emulating her music heroes. The emulation turned to innovation, as she developed her own style. Then, what had only started as a hobby turned into a passion to rival her thirst for athletic competition.

Blaze would never understand, so Rainbow never bothered explaining it to him. Her father might even take offense at the mere suggestion that his exhaustive obsession with being the best led to his daughter taking up a skill he'd have no authority over. He _already_ disliked it. Rainbow Dash wondered nervously if she should keep her latest musical project with Fluttershy a secret. Even if she could spin it as a "trick" to manipulate her friend, Blaze might say that music would distract her from soccer.

She scowled as she pulled into Prism Performance Center's parking lot. _He'd say_ anything _was a distraction from soccer._ But she let that thought go, unwilling to let it grow into even more stress. Her last conversation with her father had heralded a stormy meeting at best.

She entered the large building and went straight for his office. When she knocked this time, her father opened the door, his amber eyes cutting through her like a knife.

"Rainbow Dash," he grunted. He stepped aside and jerked his head. "Get in."

Rainbow swallowed and did as she was told. As she passed his Wall of Success, she heard the door snap shut behind her, making her wince. With a heavy sigh, she dropped herself into one of the chairs in front of her father's desk and promptly slouched down into the seat. Blaze, meanwhile, took his time in walking to his high-back office chair. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his khakis and took a deep breath in through his nose as he walked heel-to-toe with lips puckered. When he finally reached the front corner of his desk, he paused to look down at his daughter. "Have you made progress?" he asked. His tone suggested he thought Rainbow couldn't tie her shoes let alone manipulate another person.

She glared resentfully. "You mean with my project, or using someone like a tool?"

Instead of the anger she expected, Blaze actually laughed. He shook his head and took his seat behind his desk, groaning as he leaned back. "I had a feeling this would happen…"

She bristled. "That what would happen?"

"I've been thinking about our last conversation. I know you think I don't remember details, but I remembered this one for sure. You said this girl was one of your 'best friends'."

Rainbow Dash stiffened. _Did I say that?_ She looked down at her lap as her eyes widened. _Crap, why did I say that!?_

"If I know you, Dash," her father went on. "You'd lay down in front of an oncoming train if it'd help your buddies out. So when I didn't hear from you, well… I started assuming the worst. Am I wrong?" She looked at her father sharply. He wasn't smiling anymore, a predatory glint in his eyes as he laced his hands together and leaned on his desk. "Tell me I'm wrong, Rainbow Dash. Tell me you've got your priorities straight." He said it like a warning.

Rainbow fought to put a smirk on her lips. It would have looked authentic if only her cheek would stop twitching. "Dad, who do you take me for? I know what matters." She shrugged one stiff shoulder. "I mean, yeah. It sucks having to pull one over on a friend, but she's not my soul mate or anything. Besides, she's such a doormat, that I bet with enough buttering up, she'd do my project for me and _thank_ me!" The words got harder to say without grimacing, and her throat constricted as if her body were trying to stop the words from taking flight. Rainbow felt disgusted she could even say such things.

She was even more disgusted with herself for feeling powerless to tell her father how she really felt.

Blaze snorted and crossed his arms. "Then what has this girl done for you so far? The coach said you told him you might have to cut back on soccer time. You know that's unacceptable."

Rainbow sucked at her teeth, then fixed her father with a piercing stare to match his own. "I already told you the last time we talked. I can't just come right out and say, 'Hey pal, do this thing that's super boring and takes up all of your free time for me!' She has to think she's getting something out of it!"

"Like what?" Blaze challenged. "You know I speak regularly with people at the school. I've been hearing about you spending a lot of time with a girl with pink hair. That's the shy one, right? From high school? The one who can't even shoot an arrow straight?"

Rainbow Dash felt her body tighten. "She's not an archer, so what does it matter if she can't fire an arrow straight?" Then her eyes narrowed. "Wait, you have people spy on me at school?"

"Don't be dramatic," her father sneered. "It's just things I hear from clients and some of my old colleagues."

"That still doesn't make it any less creepy, dad!"

"Well it's the only way I get the full truth, apparently!" he shot back. Blaze sat forward in his chair, his face tightening in an intense scowl. "Why didn't you mention this was one of your old high school friends?"

She made a face. "I didn't think it was important, all right?"

"You know how it looks to me, Dash? It looks like you're getting sweet on her! Are you getting sweet on that girl? Should I just go and hang a 'closed for business' sign on the front doors right now?"

Rainbow put a hand on her face and sank even lower in seat. "Aw geez, dad, _don't_ …"

"You might think this is just all fun and games, Rainbow Dash, but there are real consequences to you messing this up. You and I both know you can't get that egghead psych teacher's precious project done _and_ be in top form all the way to the championships! So you had better choose what matters most to you. Me, or your wimpy little friend!"

These last words practically lit a fire in her.

Rainbow kicked at the desk, making the large furniture rock and sending its contents scattering across its surface. " _Stop_ talking about Fluttershy like that!" she snarled.

Blaze stared at her. "So that's how it is, then…"

The flames in her heart guttered. Rainbow looked down, though her body still remained clenched. "Dad…"

"You'd turn your back on your old man."

Rainbow Dash's eyes squeezed shut and her shoulders sagged. The fire had become cooling embers now. "Dad, no. Come on."

"We have nothing else to discuss."

A lump formed in her throat. She sat forward and said in a low, urgent tone: "Dad, please. I'm going to get the project done. I'm going to kick butt at the championships! I just need you to _believe_ in me!"

Blaze looked coolly at her. "You really think you can handle being a champion and pretending to be an egghead at the same time?"

"I'll…" Rainbow Dash faltered.

 _I don't want to hurt Fluttershy… But I don't want let my dad down. He's family._

"I'll get her to do my project starting on Monday," she lied.

 _It's a small fib if I actually pull this off. I meant what I said to Sunset and Twilight-I don't want to go through with this stupid plan. But my dad is so damn hard-headed, I can't get him to change his mind. I'm just going to have to pretend with him for now._

Blaze raised an eyebrow. "You mean it?"

Rainbow nodded jerkily, her bangs flopping into her eyes. "Yeah. I'm serious. It's as good as done. She's already started an outline."

The man narrowed his eyes. "Why do you need to wait till Monday?"

"Because!" she said impatiently. "Fluttershy may be a doormat, but I can't just cut to the chase with her! I have to make her think we're going to go steady or something. Then I'll just string her along from there!"

"And you could do it?" Blaze pressed stubbornly. "You could play at being this girl's new sweetheart without getting in over your head?"

Rainbow Dash feigned a sharkish smile. "Dad, I'm _never_ in over my head." She even winked. "I was taught by the best, after all!"

Blaze smiled slowly. "All right… I believe you. For now." He wagged a finger at her. "But I want you to remember that I got eyes everywhere. Understand? One way or another, everything gets back to me!"

Rainbow clenched her jaw. "Whatever." She straightened and crossed her arms. "Now that that's settled, I need to ask you for something."

" _For_ something?" Blaze's smile took on an edge. "Ballsy of you to ask considering you're already on thin ice."

"No guts, no glory," Rainbow replied with a smirk.

Her father laughed roughly. "All right, Dash. What?"

"I need three hundred dollars." _Two hundred for Rarity. One hundred for a nice dinner. If he wants me to 'woo' Shy so bad, then he oughta help invest, at least!_

Blaze scoffed. "What am I? A bank?"

"It's for school."

"Not for _Fluttershy?_ "

Rainbow Dash turned to leave. "Ugh! Forget it. I'm sure people won't talk when I have to go around asking for handouts—"

Blaze struck his desk. "Hey!"

The girl stopped and turned, her stomach flipping inside of her. _Oh boy… I hope this gamble pays off._ "Yeah?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Her father glared at her. "Don't play games with me, Rainbow Dash! What do you really want the money for?"

"I told you," Rainbow snapped. "For school. I have to replace a textbook, and I have some parking fees to pay."

Blaze groaned. "Why did I buy you that damn car?"

"Because I'm your favorite daughter?"

"You're my only daughter, smart ass."

Rainbow just grinned stiffly. _Please fall for it!_

The man screwed up his mouth as he reached for his wallet in his back pocket. "If you get another ticket, I'm taking your keys," he grumbled.

Rainbow resisted the urge to sigh in relief. "Thanks, dad."

Blaze eyed her beadily. "And take better care of your books. I'm not made of money." Then he thrust the folded bills toward her.

She strode forward and quickly took the cash. "I will. See you later."

Before she could make her escape, Blaze hollered after her, "I want you to call me with updates from now on!"

Rainbow Dash grimaced and said over her shoulder, "Uh, yeah. Sure thing." Then she fled.

As she entered her car, the lyrics she wrote before taunted her in her mind:

 _I want to be bright_  
 _When I'm usually dull_  
 _Blast away_  
 _The despicable_  
 _Be your beacon when_  
 _Fog gets dense_  
 _Lose my mask_  
 _But keep my sense_


	17. Chapter 16

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 16

When Fluttershy had gone home Thursday night, she had felt a dizzying mix of emotions. She fretted over the mishap with the sweater, try as she might to assure herself that Rainbow was determined to fix the matter for her. She also wondered nervously where the soccer player intended to take her Friday night. Despite all this, she couldn't keep the grin off her face that Rainbow Dash would want to take her out at all.

The other girl hadn't framed it like it was a date, but it certainly _felt_ like one. The anxiety Fluttershy felt certainly could be blamed on Rainbow's potential ulterior motives, but in all honesty, the pre-vet was quite relieved that the affair was not being treated like anything more than two friends spending time together. It felt safe. Approachable.

So while sleep was a little harder to come by than usual, Fluttershy didn't stay up terribly late, and by morning she felt rested. When she checked her phone, she was disappointed to see no texts from Junebug or Rarity. Just as she started a message to the fashionista, she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"Fluttershy?" Star Weld called through the wood. He sounded annoyed.

Confused, the girl got up and opened her door. Her eyes batted as her scowling brother shoved a blossoming flower arrangement under her nose.

"Who sent this? The card just says J.B.!" the man asked.

Fluttershy's brow wrinkled for a few seconds before her face cleared with sudden understanding. "Oh!" she took the flower arrangement and smiled sheepishly. "This is from a girl I know. Her name's Junebug. This must be the flowers she promised to send me."

Star Weld's scowl faded, and he even blushed a little. "Oh. Well…" He scratched his head and mumbled, "Tell her to use her full name next time. I thought those were from some creep."

Fluttershy's brow tensed. "You always jump to the worst conclusions, Star…"

He ruffled her hair and smiled crookedly. "I'm just looking out for my baby sister!" Star Weld started to walk down the hall. "See ya later, sis. Have a good Friday!"

She sighed with exasperation as she combed her hair back into place. Still, she smiled and waved. "You too, Star Weld."

After she shut her door, Fluttershy plucked the small card Star Weld had mentioned, the front emblazoned with J.B., just as he had said. When she turned the card, there was a small note on the back:

 _Thanks again for your help! Sleeping beauty has yet to rise. Don't worry, her sorority sisters are keeping a close eye!_

That answered her question about Rarity, but Fluttershy didn't find her worries eased. _Poor Rarity… I hope she talks to me when she wakes up. Whatever is bothering her is clearly taking its toll!_

But she couldn't spend all morning fretting over her friend. She had a busy day to get ready for, starting with a chemistry lecture. The flower arrangement was bright and brimming with irises, coreopsis, crocus, daisies, and white heathers. Junebug clearly knew her flower symbolism. The natural piece, gathered in a glazed white pot and decorated with a pink bow, held messages of friendship, cheerfulness, innocence, and protection.

 _I'll put this in the living room,_ Fluttershy thought with a pleasant smile. _This will brighten up the space for sure!_

She left her room to do just that.

* * *

Rainbow Dash awoke lying on her stomach, her mouth open and drooling onto her pillow. Her alarm hadn't gone off because Fridays were her day off from both school and the gym. The only thing she had to worry about, aside from her plans that night, was a meeting with Sassaflash and the coaches this afternoon. Once she remembered all of this, she lifted her head, wiped the drool from her face, and started to roll over onto her back when something else occurred to her.  
Sunset's bed was empty.

Rainbow stared at it, blinking dazedly. She looked at her clock. This was typically about the time that her roommate started getting ready, but from the looks of the bed, she hadn't even returned to the dorms last night. Sleep fled from Rainbow Dash as she kicked off her covers, grabbed her phone from her night stand, and sat up. She texted to Twilight Sparkle:

 **R: Hey, is Sun with u?**

She didn't sit and wait for a response. Rainbow stood from the bed and glanced out the window, which presented her with a view of the lawn in front of the building's entrance. Sunset was nowhere in sight. Licking her lips, Rainbow hurried to her desk chair (covered in a film of dust from lack of use) and propped it against the door to the hallway. As she moved towards Sunset's night stand, her phone buzzed in her hand. Rainbow stopped and glanced at it.

 **TS: No… Why?**

The soccer player pursed her lips and started a response. The exchange continued quickly.

 **R: She didn't sleep here last nite :/**

 **TS: That's not good! Is there anywhere else she might be staying?**

 **R: Dunno**

 **TS: I'll try calling her.**

 **R: Pinkie, and now Sunset. Smh**

 **TS: Wait, what happened to Pinkie Pie?**

Rainbow Dash winced. _Oops. I don't think I told her or Sun about the whole thing with Rarity and Pinks, huh? Damn._

 **R: tl;dr = Pinkie is awol + Rarity freaking out and awake 2 days str8**

 **TS: That's horrible!**

 **R: Ya. FS + me got Rare 2 sleep. Bet she's still out. Nothin from Pinks yet, tho**

 **TS: Well… There's ONE thing you could try.**

Rainbow Dash frowned at her phone.

 **R: What?**

 **TS: You could try saying a curse word.**

"Are you out of your mind!?" the tomboy said aloud, her face drawing long and her eyes practically bugging out. Then she remembered herself and texted with more force on the screen than necessary:

 **R: R U NUTS!?**

 **TS: But just think about it! Whenever you need Pinkie Pie to show up on the double, what's the most reliable way to do that? Breaking a Pinkie Promise!**

 **R: She'll kill me. :I**

 **TS: Rainbow, don't be silly.**

 **R: U do it, then!**

 **TS: It was just an idea! I'm heading to class right now, I can't afford to be caught in a Pinkie storm.**

"Class, huh? That's convenient, Sci-Twi," Rainbow sneered. Instead, she texted:

 **R: g2g. Gonna search the room for clues while I can.**

 **TS: Good idea. You might find something that leads to Sunset. Call me if you find anything!**

Rainbow Dash tossed her phone onto her bed and continued to Sunset Shimmer's night stand. There wasn't much on the surface. The magical book her roommate used to communicate with the Equestrian Princess of Friendship was missing. The drawer revealed nothing but useless knick knacks—pencils, sticky notes, highlighters, nail polish, etc. The cabinet below it much of the same.

Frustrated, Rainbow moved her search elsewhere. She peeked under Sunset Shimmer's bed. She lifted the mattress. Looked under her friend's pillows. When none of the obvious hiding places produced anything, the tomboy moved on to Sunset's desk. Unlike Rainbow Dash, the former Equestrian actually made regular use of her study desk, and so it was clean and organized. Looking through the letter cubbies, she found some statements for overdue bills. There was even a letter of notice from a loan company claiming that Sunset Shimmer might have been the victim of identity theft.

"Geez, Twilight was right. Sun had more problems than I thought!" Rainbow muttered with a shake of her head as she replaced the letters. It was when she lifted the desk pad that she froze.

Rainbow's eyes had fallen on a small, faded business card, one corner torn, as if it had been tacked to a wall and ripped off. In Olde English font, the word _Tambelon_ was printed in black with some ink spatter, as if it had come from an old printing press. It had the address and phone number, and nothing more. Raising an eyebrow, Rainbow turned the card over to see _3/6_ written on the back in Sunset Shimmer's handwriting.

 _Three-six? As in March sixth?_ Rainbow replaced the desk pad, but kept the business card. _If that's what the note means, then Twilight was right. That day was when Spring Break started. Maybe this_ 'Tambelon' _place is where Sunset goes to do her shady business?_

Rainbow put the card in her drawer, then removed the chair from the front door and went to the bathroom for a shower.

 _I should scout that place out._ Rainbow started to strip, her eyes unfocused as she thought hard. _Twilight will want to come, but we'll need backup in case things get hairy. No offense to her, but she's not exactly great in a fight. At least, not if we want to keep a low profile. Twi's gotten better at her magic, but I still don't want to risk being accidentally turned into an orange like she did to Fluttershy that one time._ She shuddered at the memory as she turned on the shower head. She held her hand in the water, waiting for it to get warm. _Can't ask Fluttershy to go because—obviously. Rarity is out because she needs to rest. Even if I knew where Pinkie Pie was, the last time I tried to do recon with her at Crystal Prep_ _she drove me nuts, so she's out. That just leaves…_ Rainbow Dash wrinkled her nose. _Applejack_.

The tomboy disliked that thoughts of AJ lately carried with them a sense of annoyance and maybe even apprehension. She honestly didn't understand what had changed between them. It was true that they had all become busy since starting at Everfree University, but the country girl hadn't become ornery with the others. Just Rainbow Dash.

The trouble was, Sunset Shimmer needed their help, and if Twilight Sparkle's theories were correct (which they often were) then there could be real danger surrounding this place that Sun had felt the need to keep secret. Rainbow Dash could handle many things, but if they were really dealing with criminals, she would need help. This much she could admit. She needed someone brave. Strong.

 _The fact that AJ owns guns kind of helps_ , Rainbow thought wryly.

She sighed as she stepped into the shower stall.

 _I'll send them both a text and see if they want to go tomorrow. I'm not going to freak out and assume Sun is in any trouble right now. She's just not here. I've got my date with Fluttershy tonight, and I still have to get ready for that._

Rainbow Dash smiled goofily as she started to shampoo her hair.

"Tonight's gonna rock!" she said.

* * *

Planning a date, a _good_ date, was harder than it looked. Rainbow Dash had spent most of her morning just looking for decent places to eat. At first she had considered her old standbys—the burger joints, the taco stands, the yogurt spots—basically all the places she'd taken her past girlfriends. But something about that had felt…cheap. Lazy. Sleazy, even. The girls she had dated in the past weren't important to her, and that attitude was clear in the places she'd taken them. So while Rainbow had promised Fluttershy she wouldn't pick a place that required formal dress, she also didn't want to pick some greasy hole in the wall that suggested she wasn't serious about being with Fluttershy.

 _I can_ so _go steady with someone,_ Rainbow thought with agitation. _I'm not scared of commitment! I just…_ Her shoulders sagged a little. _I just don't know how to do this sappy stuff. I usually just ask a girl out for a milkshake, and next thing I know, we're snogging._

So when she met up with Sassaflash at their usual spot for lunch, the tomboy was quite on edge. She was surprised (and a little miffed) to see Spitfire was there to join them today. The midfielder was sitting next to the vice captain on the bench beneath the maple tree. It wasn't that Rainbow Dash disliked her fellow teammate. It was just that she felt a bit vulnerable, and that usually meant she preferred the company of those she saw all the time, not people she wasn't as used to being around a lot.

 _Still,_ she reasoned, _there's no use in being a jerk to Spitfire. It's not her fault I suck at being romantic._

"'Sup, Sass. Spitfire." Rainbow nodded to them both as she approached, her expression purposefully made blank so as to avoid any awkward comments on her mood.

"Cap," Spitfire said with a quick tilt of the chin, the sun glinting off her aviator glasses.

"Hi, Dashie." Sassaflash looked up at her, then froze. She screwed up her mouth and crossed her arms, her brow knotting. "What's wrong?"

Rainbow Dash's lip curled against her will. "Nothing."

Sass rolled her eyes. "Rainbow… It's clear as day that something is on your mind!"

"Look, it's dumb. Just forget it."

"Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow slashed a hand through the air. "Sass, drop it!"

Spitfire pushed her sunglasses down as she leaned forward onto a knee. The fiery-haired midfielder was, in fact, a few years older than most of their team, Rainbow and Sassaflash included. She had served in the military straight out of high school, and it wasn't until she separated from service that she decided to use her government benefits to pursue college. Those life experiences were plain in the gravity of her eyes as she locked gazes with her soccer captain.  
"Captain, I don't mean to gang up on you," Spitfire said with an arched eyebrow. "But Sass is right. You look like someone took a shit in your coffee."

Rainbow made a face. "Gross."

Spitfire shrugged and pushed her glasses back up her nose. "Just pointing out the obvious."

"So would you like to scoop the poop out of your morning joe, or will I have to wheedle it out of you through incessant pestering?" Sassaflash asked with a scowl.

Rainbow groaned up at the tree branches over their heads. "Can we just go to lunch? _Please?_ "

"Look, if you really don't want to talk to us, then fine. But I'm not really interested in sitting through an hour of you brooding."

Rainbow put her hands on her hips. "I brood that bad?"

Sassaflash and Spitfire nodded gravely.

The soccer captain bared her teeth and pinched the bridge of her nose. She could feel a stress headache coming on. A long silence followed.

"I need a place to take Fluttershy to dinner, all right!" Rainbow snapped suddenly.

She dropped her hand and gauged her friends reactions. Spitfire's eyebrows went up. She knew who Fluttershy was, being a former student of Canterlot High. Though she was part of Maud Pie's graduating class, so she'd missed all the magic-fueled drama. Still, Rainbow and her friends had been a recognizable presence at the high school, even in freshman year.  
Sassaflash's face had gone blank, her mouth dropping open. Then she popped up from the bench, spread her arms wide and hugged Rainbow so hard, she lifted her off the ground. " _Omigosh!_ Rainbow, you're finally gonna do it, aren't you!?"

"Sass! Put me down!" Rainbow yelped as Sass twirled her once around. When her friend complied, she asked with a scandalized glare, "What the heck do you mean?"

"You're gonna try and go steady with your friend, huh?" Sassaflash sing-songed, practically dancing on the spot. She poked a flinching Rainbow in the gut. "Come on, admit it! When's the last time you freaked out about where to take a girl for dinner?"

"I'm not—hey, _quit it_ —I'm not freaking out!" Rainbow said, swatting at Sass' hand when her vice captain tried to poke her again. "I'm just frustrated, okay? I'm trying to do something different!"

"Like commit?" Sassaflash asked, batting her eyelashes.

Rainbow blushed red and shoved her friend lightly in the shoulder. "Why does everyone keep acting like that's so hard for me?"

"Maybe because you've never done it?" Spitfire offered helpfully from the bench.

She earned a glare for her trouble. "Shows what you know! I've gone steady before, it just…" Rainbow shuffled her feet and mumbled. "It just didn't work out."

Sassaflash's teasing grin faded. She reached forward and squeezed Rainbow's upper arm. "Aw… Hey. Don't worry! We can help you find a place to eat."

Rainbow Dash looked at Sass and Spitfire with reluctant hope. "Really? You guys think you know a place?"

Spitfire plucked up her cell phone from its place next to her on the bench. She unlocked it and started to tap the screen quickly. "What are you looking for?"

Rainbow squinted one eye and scratched at the back of her head. "Um… Food?"

Sassaflash giggled, her phone also in her hand. " _Duh_. What kind of food, dummy? What does Fluttershy like?"

"Vegetables?" Rainbow said helplessly.

The vice captain snapped her fingers and started tapping her phone quickly. "Right! You told me she's vegetarian. Hmm, lemme see… What are my favorite spots?"

"It's gotta be nice!" Rainbow emphasized with both hands. Then she added hurriedly, "Oh! But, nothing too fancy. Fluttershy doesn't have fancy clothes, and neither do I. Plus, I only have a hundred to blow on tonight."

"More than enough," Spitfire muttered distractedly.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes at Sassaflash. "And no veggie-only places! I still eat meat!"

Sassaflash shot her a pout. "Well that narrows things down _considerably_ …"

The minutes ticked by. Her teammates had offered a combined three different places, but Rainbow Dash had shot down each one. They just didn't feel good enough. The soccer captain became impatient and took a seat on the bench to rejoin the search herself.

Sass sighed roughly, her head shaking. "I'm coming up empty, Dashie."

"Me too, Cap," Spitfire said with puckered lips.

Rainbow covered her face with a hand. "Aw geez, I'm so screwed…"

"Hey," the midfielder said to her right. The tomboy looked at the older girl. Spitfire was peering at her over her glasses again. "Have you tried asking Pinkie Pie? I remember that kid used to be crazy good at findin' decent places to eat!"

Rainbow Dash slouched and started to say that she couldn't reach the party planner. Then she broke off mid-sentence, her eyes widening.

 _The best way to get Pinkie Pie to show up is to break one of her promises…_ Her face tightened. _Man, I don't want to do that. Not after last time._ To this day, huge staircases still made her nervous.

Then her eyes landed on Sassaflash.

Rainbow smiled a curling, evil smile. "Hey Sass… What was that thing Spitfire said earlier? About someone pooping in my coffee?"

"Shitting," Sassaflash corrected automatically. Her eyes were still on her phone. "She said you look like someone took a _shit_ in your coffee."

"Yeah. Poop. Like I said."

Sass rolled her eyes and glanced at Spitfire. "Has she told you yet?"

"Told me what?" Spitfire asked. She looked at Rainbow Dash, and the soccer captain schooled her expression to one of clueless innocence.

Sassaflash grinned and finally lifted her eyes fully from her screen. "She says she made a promise to a friend to never curse. Ever."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

Spitfire smirked and regarded Rainbow with an air of knowing. "Is it the friend I'm thinking of, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Who, Pinkie? Yeah. It was her."

"Damn. Pinkie Promised to never curse… That explains so much!"

Sassaflash's grin took on an edge of disbelief. "Hold up. You _believe_ in that crap?"

Spitfire regarded her nonchalantly. "Sure I do. I went to school with Pinkie's oldest sister. I know what that girl can do."

Sass scoffed. "Oh please!" She looked at Rainbow next, one hand finding its place on her hip. "Pinkie Promises are dumb!"

"Is that so?" Rainbow returned with a crooked smile. "Care to prove it?"

Spitfire tensed next to her. "Rainbow," she said warningly.

"Shh!" Rainbow said with a stern look. _Let the big mouth hang herself!_

Sassaflash licked her lips and made a _bring it_ gesture with her free hand. "How do I this 'sacred vow' of Pinkie Pie's?"

Spitfire whistled and stood from the bench. "Oh boy…"

Rainbow Dash stood with an air of great solemnity. With a serious expression, she recited, "'I, Sassaflash, do promise that from this day forth, I will not utter a single curse,'"

Sass snorted, but said without fail, "I, Sassaflash, do promise that from this day forth, I will not utter a single curse."

Rainbow crossed her heart, and slapped a hand over her eye. "'Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!'"

The vice captain's face screwed up. "Seriously?"

Rainbow Dash glared.

Sassaflash rolled her eyes. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" She threw up her hands. "There! Happy?"

Rainbow Dash smirked. "Now you just gotta put your money where your mouth is, and break the promise you just made!" Sassaflash opened her mouth, Rainbow slapped a hand over it, her eyes turning huge with alarm. "Not yet, doofus! Wait for me and Spitfire to stand back!" When she removed her hand, she turned, jumped over the bench, and ran to hide behind the maple tree. Spitfire, ever the preemptive one, was already there.

"Okay!" Rainbow Dash called to a bewildered Sassaflash. "You can curse now!"

Sassaflash laughed. "You two are a couple of fucking boobs!" She held out her arms. "Oh _shit!_ Look! I haven't been struck by lightning!"

Rainbow's eyes focused on something behind her friend. She exchanged a brief look with Spitfire, then snickered out. "Um, Sassaflash—?"

Sassaflash cupped a hand to her ear. "Yes, Dashie? What's that? You're a scaredy bitch?"

"Sass—"

"No really, this is fucking retarded. Can you guys come back out here so I can laugh in your faces?"

" _Sass—!_ "

"What!?" Sassaflash snapped.

Rainbow and Spitfire pointed behind her.

The vice captain frowned, her eyes fluttering. She smiled disbelievingly. "No way…" Sass looked over her shoulder. Rainbow couldn't see her expression, but judging by the way her blonde friend tensed up, this was not the result she had been expecting.

Pinkie Pie stood behind Sassaflash, flames practically burning in her bright blue eyes as the two stared each other down.

After a long, tense moment, Sass looked down and asked hoarsely, "Is that a cannon?"

"Yes," Pinkie answered flatly, before she pulled the firing string.

* * *

"I didn't even _know_ it could fire cake batter!" Rainbow said with wonder as they milled in Spitfire and Sassaflash's dorm room. The midfielder sat with Rainbow Dash on the edge of her bed. Pinkie Pie stood in the center of the room, her eyes cheerily drinking in their surroundings. From the open bathroom door, steam curled and the sounds of a shower could be heard.

Sass shrieked from the shower stall, "That could have killed me!" It was about the tenth time she'd said this.

"Hush!" Rainbow admonished. "I told you Pinkie Promises were no joke!"

Spitfire cast her a sideways look. "She wouldn't have done it had you not baited her, Captain…"

Pinkie looked at Rainbow sharply.

The tomboy broke into a sweat as Pinkie loomed over her. "Er, well, I mean… It's not like I put a gun to her head!" the tomboy argued nervously.

"You know how important promises are to me, Dashie," Pinkie scolded with a cartoonish-level of indignance: her mouth corners turned down hard, her eyebrows were practically at a full slant, and even her hair seemed to puff up with frizzy insult. "I don't appreciate you teasing your friends with them! It's about as fun as old fish and dead leaves!"

Rainbow Dash had the good sense to look rueful, her hands lacing together as she tucked her chin in and looked up at her friend through her lashes. "Sorry, Pinks…"

Pinkie Pie glared for a full three more seconds before the fire flickered out of her eyes, her frown turned upside down, and her hair settled. "Aw, it's okay Rainbow Dash. I know you were jes' tryin'ta get in touch with me since I was hiding."

Rainbow straightened at this. "Pinkie, you were _hiding?_ "

The party planner's smile went stiff. Somehow she managed to say with barely any facial movement, "Did I say hiding?"

"You did," Spitfire confirmed with a frown.

Pinkie let out a false laugh. "I meant to say playing hide and go seek! And you…'seeked' me!" She ruffled Rainbow's hair. "Good job, Dashie! You win!"

"'Sought me out,'" Spitfire corrected, crossing her arms. "She sought you out. Not 'seeked' you."

" _Gesundheit!_ " Pinkie Pie chirped with more natural cheer.

Spitfire scratched her head. "Huh? But nothing I said sounded like a sneeze!"

"Is anyone going to address the fact that a girl with a cannon managed to get the drop on me!?" Sass yelled from the bathroom.

"No," Rainbow and Spitfire answered in unison.

"Pinkie," Rainbow Dash said next, her gaze piercing into her pink-haired friend. "I'm asking you seriously. Like, _really._ For serious, okay? Can you answer me straight and honest?"

Pinkie Pie nodded jerkily. "Okey dokey! What d'ya wanna ask?"

"Why did you disappear on everyone for three days? Why didn't you respond to my text? And why did you just say you were _hiding?_ "

The other girl sighed dramatically, her hair deflating and even losing some of its magnificent shade. "Well…" she started reluctantly, before biting her lip.

Rainbow crossed her arms and glared. _If she thinks I'm dropping this, she's nuts! She's had us all worried!_

"I went to the doctor and got bad news," Pinkie Pie said, her gaze turning away.

"Bad news?" Rainbow stood up, her eyes wide. "Like… 'Three months to live' kinda bad news?"

Pinkie shook her head. The soccer captain let out a relieved breath.

"Pregnant?" Spitfire asked. Rainbow glared at her. The midfielder gave a small shrug. "What?"

Pinkie's chin tucked in to the point that her hair curtained forward, covering one side of her face as she gazed at her shoes. "No. I'm not pregnant," she mumbled.

Rainbow Dash rubbed at her neck, feeling at a loss. "O-kay? So it's not life threatening. It's not that you're preggers." She grimaced. "Is it like… an STD thing?"

Pinkie Pie made a face to mirror Rainbow's. "Yuck! No!"

The soccer captain put her hands on her hips and shifted to one foot. "Help us out here, Pinks! You're not leaving much for us to even guess!"

The party planner stuck her tongue out and turned to face the opposite wall. "You asked for an honest and straight answer, Dashie. I gave one! You never said I had to give you the skinny on my private health stuff!"

Rainbow Dash stomped a foot in frustration. "But—!"

"She has a point, Cap," Spitfire said from her bed.

"Quiet, you!"

"Anyway," Pinkie Pie said over her shoulder. "I _thought_ you wanted help to find a place to have dinner tonight!"

Rainbow relented by flopping back onto Spitfire's bed. "Yeah…"

Pinkie's lips curled as she turned her body a quarter of the way around. Her curls and volume had partially returned to her hair. "So who is this super special someone that you're taking out, anyway? You never mentioned their names!"

"Fluttershy," Spitfire said.

Pinkie Pie buried her hands in her hair and shouted, " _What?_ "

Rainbow punched her teammate in the arm, "Dude, what the heck!?"

The midfielder just chuckled at her, rubbing absently at the place she'd been hit. "Captain, how else is she going to help you find a place to eat? Magic?"

"That's what I was _kind of_ hoping for," Rainbow Dash muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Spitfire leaned in with an ear cocked.

"Nothing."

Pinkie Pie, meanwhile was staring with mouth agape at Rainbow Dash, her gaze that of the biggest starry eyes imaginable. In fact, Rainbow couldn't think of a single other person she had ever used the word 'starry' to describe the _literal_ expression they held in their eyes. She was half certain if she looked closer into the depths of Pinkie Pie's dilated pupils, she could actually see an entire universe of stars in there.

Rainbow Dash shivered. _Woah. Creeped myself out!_

"Rainbow," Pinkie finally managed to squeal. "Do you mean to tell me that you are _finally_ dating Fluttershy?"

"Geez, did you guys have a money pool going or something?" Rainbow griped.

"We did, actually."

Rainbow could feel the blood flood her cheeks. "Not cool!"

Pinkie Pie shrugged. "Hey, we all _knew_ you two would end up together! We just took bets on how it would happen!"

"And what was your bet, Pinkie?" Spitfire asked with a grin.

Pinkie pouted. "I bet that Rainbow Dash would confess her feelings with a birthday cake."

Rainbow shook her head. "Wow, that was a bad bet! After all, a birthday is only once a year!"

Her friend just tutted at her like she had said something amazingly naive. "You can have birthday cake whenever you want to, silly!"

"Uh…" Rainbow squinted one eye. "Rrright." She wheeled a hand through the air. "So about the dinner ideas?"

Pinkie Pie went very still—which was vaguely creepy given that she was staring at Rainbow Dash and smiling. Then she sucked in air for a gigantic gasp. "I just had the best idea _ever!_ "

Rainbow flinched and leaned away from her. "Wh-what is it?"

Pinkie Pie pumped a fist in the air. "You can take her to Sugarcube Corner!"

The tomboy flopped backward onto Spitfire's bed. "Aw, man! No, Pinkie. That's the same ol' place we went to all the time in high school!"

"Yeeeah… But when was the last time you went there?"

Rainbow blinked at the question. "Since we graduated?"

"And when was the last time Fluttershy's been there?"

"Dunno."

"Since graduation, silly! I know. The Cakes told me they haven't seen the other girls in _forever!_ "

Rainbow propped herself up onto her elbows. "Okay. Fine. So we haven't been there in a long time. So what? That place is for dessert, not dinner! And anyway, it doesn't change the fact that it's not that special for a date."

Pinkie Pie crossed her arms. "Hey there, missy! Sugarcube Corner is plenty special! They also sell sandwiches too, remember? Fluttershy loved their food!"

Spitfire nudged Rainbow Dash, earning her an irate stare. "Yeah, Cap," the older girl pitched in. "What's better than going somewhere that the owners know you? They might do something special for you if you call ahead."

"No need!" Pinkie said with a giant smile. "I work there part time now! I even have a shift tonight, so if you guys swing by, I can have something super uber special prepared for you!"

Rainbow jutted out her lower lip in thought. _Pinkie Pie's cakes_ are _pretty rad… And she's right, they sell more than just dessert down there. I promised Fluttershy something casual, and that's about as casual as it gets._ She smiled without thinking. _I bet going somewhere familiar will make her feel more relaxed, too. We have so many cool memories there…_

"I think I see a 'yes' on your face," Pinkie Pie sang.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, but smiled. "All right, Pinkie Pie. Sugarcube Corner it is!"

Pinkie Pie jumped up into the air. "Woo hoo!"

"You know she's going to use this as an opportunity to try and win that bet, right?" Spitfire muttered to Rainbow out of the corner of her mouth.

Rainbow Dash just shrugged, her grin widening. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Hey!" Sass shouted as she turned off the shower. "Come to think of it, what _did_ Pinkie do with the cannon, anyway? I don't remember bringing it with us!"

"It's a _party_ cannon," Rainbow Dash answered dryly. "And believe me, you get tired of asking those kinds of questions _really fast_ when it comes to Pinkie Pie." She looked at her friend and winked. "Right, Pinks?"

Pinkie Pie just giggled.


	18. Chapter 17

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 17

Sassaflash emerged from the bathroom dressed in blue jeans and a grey cotton t-shirt, but with no shoes or socks. She was furiously scrubbing at her damp hair with a towel, her look of perturbation still firmly in place as her amber eyes locked onto Pinkie Pie like she was a cobra ready to strike.

"Y'know, when I imagined us meeting again," the vice captain said warily to the party planner. "I envisioned something less messy. And terrifying."

Pinkie tilted her head to the side as Rainbow snickered behind her. "What did you picture instead?"

Sass shrugged. "Maybe a tumbleweed going by as we walk through a deserted town to meet in the middle for a rematch of that last rock, paper, scissors battle we had?"

"A rematch? Why didn't you say so in the first place, silly?"

The vice captain made a face. "Because you shot cake batter at me!"

"Oh. Yeah. I guess I can kinda see how that would stop you from asking."

"It's kind of low priority right now, anyway," Sass said, shooting a glare at Rainbow as her soccer captain could no longer contain her peals of laughter. She said next to Pinkie, "So how does this work, anyway? Can I do abbreviations? Can I write or text curses? Can I _think_ about curses? What if something sounds harsh, but is generally not considered a curse? What if I'm having sex and something slips out in the heat of the moment? Can I make crude hand signals at least?"

Spitfire peered at Sassaflash over the rims of her sunglasses as Rainbow finally started to calm down next to her. "Sassy," the midfielder said with some bemusement. "I think you might want to ask your questions a little more-"

Pinkie, who had been tapping her chin in thought, suddenly started to speak, making everyone jump: "No, no, no, depends, definitely not acceptable, and yes."

Rainbow blinked. "Hold up-you mean I could have been giving people the bird this whole time!?"

Her high school friend glowered at her. "The point of the promise wasn't to find loopholes, Dashie. It was to keep our friends from sounding and acting like jerks!"

The tomboy scowled as she slouched. "Yeah, but…"

"I can't believe I can never curse again," Sassaflash said mournfully.

Spitfire looked at Pinkie. "Pinkie, Sassaflash made that promise without understanding the consequences. Can't you let her off the hook? Just this once?"

Pinkie crossed her arms and turned her nose up in the air. "Nuh-uh! No-can-do, Spitfire! Rainbow may have baited Sassaflash, but she _did_ warn her what would happen! People should take promises more seriously! The world would be a better place if they did!"

Sassaflash sighed heavily.

Rainbow stood and went to throw an arm around her vice captain's shoulders. "Aw, cheer up, dude! Look on the bright side," she said. "At least now I'm not the only one who has to come up with creative ways to say 'sex' without sounding like a dork."

Sass' lips thinned. "How is that supposed to cheer me up?"

Rainbow chuckled and smirked. "Well it makes _me_ feel better." At her friend's dark scowl, the tomboy squeezed her shoulders. "But seriously, it's not that bad! Once you get used to it, you start to feel classy."

Sassaflash looked at her with big hopeful eyes. "Do you really?"

"No," Rainbow Dash snickered. "But hey! When I made my no-curse promise the first time, I negotiated for an hour with Pinkie Pie on letting us have two light swear words. Crap, and damn." She looked at Pinkie. "Does that apply to Sassaflash too?"

The party planner screwed up her mouth in thought. "Hmmm…" After a few seconds, she bobbed her head rapidly. "Okey-dokey! I guess that's all right."

Rainbow grinned at Sassaflash as if she'd just fixed her broken down car on the side of the highway. Sass looked back at her like the pet cat who had brought a dead mouse home. "Gee thanks," the vice captain muttered.

"Well this has been fun," Pinkie said with an apologetic grin. She thumbed at the door. "But I have to go. Someone _was_ kinda waiting for me."

Rainbow Dash followed her to the door. "Oh! Well, lemme walk you out. I need to tell you some stuff," she glanced at Spitfire and Sassaflash, who were gazing after them curiously. "Er, in private." She tilted her chin at her teammates. "Spitfire, I'll see you. Sass, I'll be at the captain's meeting, no worries."

Pinkie Pie blinked, but smiled nonetheless. "All righty!" She turned and waved at the other girls, one hand on the doorknob. "Bye, Spitfire! I'll tell Maud you said hi. And bye, bye, Sassaflash! We can do a rock, paper, scissors match later. Till then," her eyes narrowed menacingly, "Be gooood!"

"Later, Pinkie Pie. Captain." Spitfire said with a casual wave from her bed.

Sassaflash shivered and retreated to the bathroom without a word.

Rainbow chuckled as she followed Pinkie out the door.

"So what's still on your mind, Rainbow Dash?" the party planner asked.

They started to walk down the hallway to the elevators. Rainbow's smile waned. "Um. Yeah. So back in there, I asked you all those questions about what was going on with you, right? Well one of those was about a text I sent you. Did you even get that?"

Pinkie bit her lip and looked down. "Yeah…"

"So why didn't you answer?"

"Because Rarity is safe at the sorority house. You and Fluttershy already took care of her. I'm going back soon, anyway. She'll be okay till then."

"Till _when?_ " Rainbow snapped, her smile now completely gone. "You know Rare's been having nightmares. Just what the heck is going on, Pinkie Pie? Why has she been wigging out? And why didn't either of you tell the rest of us?"

"She made me Pinkie Promise, Rainbow," Pinkie said, her shoulders sagging. They stopped in front of the elevator doors. Rainbow aggressively jabbed at the call button. A moment later the doors dinged open and they stepped inside. When the doors slid shut, Pinkie said next, her eyes tensed with reluctance. " _Although_ …"

When she didn't continue Rainbow Dash glared at her. "Come on, out with it! Fluttershy is worried, and so am I! If she keeps acting all wiggy, something serious is going to happen! Refusing to sleep is no joke!"

Pinkie Pie squeezed her eyes shut. "Rarity made me promise not to say what her dreams were about, but…but she didn't make me promise not to say what might have caused them! I just feel icky about saying it. It still feels like I'm betraying her somehow!"

Rainbow sighed and put a hand on Pinkie's shoulder. She squeezed. "Pinkie, we're her friends too. You guys can't go through this alone, especially if you have new health stuff you've got to worry about. Just tell me. Please?"

Pinkie looked at her. Her ordinarily bright blue eyes seemed a duller shade. "Rarity was mugged."

Rainbow stiffened. She let her hand drop from Pinkie Pie's shoulder and squinted her eyes. "Rarity was mugged?"

"Yeah. It happened two months ago." Pinkie slouched, her brow wrinkling. "It really, _really_ shook her up, Rainbow. Rarity was so embarrassed. You remember those self-defense classes she took? She says it was like she forgot everything. The guy pulled a knife so she couldn't even get her gem out to pony-up."

Rainbow's fists clenched. "Who did it!? Did she make a police report? Did they find the guy? Was it just one?"

"It was just one." Pinkie stared at the doors, her arms hugging her torso. Her face had turned stony. "It's taken care of."

"Good!" Rainbow snarled. She leaned back hard against the elevator wall. But when they came to their floor and the doors opened, something occurred to her. "Hey, Pinkie?" she said to Pinkie's retreating form. She trailed after her friend, her face lengthening. "So the cops arrested the guy, right?"

Pinkie glanced at her. "Nope."

Rainbow's eyes widened. "But you said it was 'taken care of'."

Pinkie Pie paused as she held open the glass door leading out of the building. She wore a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yep."

Rainbow Dash paused at the doorway, her gaze staring deeply into her friend's face. Pinkie didn't waver under the attention. The athlete's face relaxed and she clapped the party girl on the shoulder with an approving nod. Then she went out the door, with her friend close behind.

* * *

Fluttershy had received a text from Rainbow saying that she'd come to pick the pre-vet up at eight o' clock. Star Weld had also called during her work break to let her know that he wouldn't be able to pick her up from work that night. It wouldn't be a problem per se-she could catch a bus in time to get back home and get ready for her night out-but it would be a tight squeeze. When she clocked out, she sighed to herself.

 _I was hoping for a little more time to prep. My hair needs a wash, and I still don't know what I'm going to wear. I hope Angel isn't cranky…_

The bus ride was long and boring, leaving nothing for Fluttershy to really distract herself with. She tried watching cat videos on her phone, but even cute kittens playing with cotton balls couldn't keep her mind from conjuring up nightmare scenarios.

What if something got caught in her teeth and she didn't catch it? What if she offended Rainbow by paying for herself? What if she offended Rainbow by assuming that she _wouldn't_ have to pay for herself? Should she wear a skirt? But what if she got cold?

On and on it went until she arrived at her stop and made the short walk home. So distracted was she, that it wasn't until she closed the front gate behind her that the voice penetrated her realm of awareness.

"Fluttershy! Hell-ooo!" Rarity said in a high melodic voice, vaguely strained with exasperation.

Fluttershy jumped, her eyes going wide as she clutched her purse to her chest like a shield. "Rarity!?" she squeaked.

The fashionista pouted at her. She was dressed in a black halter top dress and matching gladiator sandals, though her make-up was unusually low-key for the typically dramatic girl. Fluttershy blinked at her appearance. The pre-vet was far from the fashion interpreter that her friend was, but she couldn't deny that her haute-couture instincts were picking up on a definite note of aggression in her friend's clothes.

Shy attempted to cover up her bewilderment with a warm smile. "Rarity! It's good to see you!" she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Oh, goodness! Have you been waiting long?" She looked at her phone. "I didn't miss a call or a text from you, did I?"

"No, darling," Rarity said, a sheepish look crossing her face. "I know it's a bit rude to drop in, but I only just rose a short time ago. After I ate, Junebug informed me of what you and Rainbow Dash did." She straightened her spine, and frowned. "I must say, I was quite cross with myself for having worried you two so much!" She growled and stomped a foot. "And then I got a text from Pinkie Pie of all people!"

"Pinkie? What did she say?"

"Nothing!" Rarity fumed. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot rapidly. "Three days of complete and utter silence, and all she texts back to me is…" her face screwed up, and she said with effort, "'Don't flip, potato chip.'" She threw her hands up in the air, one curl falling out of place. "I am _not_ a potato chip!"

Fluttershy couldn't wait any longer. She hurried forward and hugged her friend. Rarity stiffened in her arms.

"I'm sorry!" she gushed. "You looked like you needed it. I'm also just happy to see that you're all right!" She bit her lip. "Though…" Fluttershy pulled back with a wince. "While I'd love to hear more, I _am_ sort of pressed for time. You see, Rainbow Dash is taking me out tonight." Rarity's eyes went wide, a hand slapping over her mouth. The animal lover felt a bolt of panic shoot through her and waved her hands. "N-no, it's not what you think! She says she's taking me out to say thank you for the project!"

But Rarity was starting to bounce on the spot. "Fluttershy! Oh, Fluttershy! I am _so_ happy for you! When is she coming?"

Fluttershy hunched her shoulders and looked down at her work shoes. "Eight o' clock."

Rarity gasped. "B-but that's so soon! Oh my dear, you must get ready!"

"I know, Rarity. That's what I-"

The fashionista zipped behind Fluttershy and started pushing her toward the door. "Ah, ah! Enough talk! We have a big night to prepare for!"

* * *

Rainbow Dash was not nervous. She wasn't. She was sweating because it was hot. That was it. It didn't matter that the top was down, a girl could still get hot under such conditions. What was it? Sixty-five degrees out? Yeah. That was muggy, right?

The tomboy smoothed her button-up shirt's lapel for what must have been the hundredth time. She'd considered wearing a blazer over it, but she reasoned that even if she rolled the sleeves up it might look a bit too dressy for a trip to Sugarcube Corner.

 _You promised Fluttershy casual. Showing up looking like a fashion model would be no better than turning up in a tuxedo. Besides, you're in the damn car and halfway there already, so stop freaking out like a wuss!_

Rainbow gritted her teeth and struck her steering wheel as she drove into Fluttershy's neighborhood. "Come on, Dash. It's time to rock this!"

When she pulled in front of Fluttershy's house, she leapt out of her car with a whoop, hopped the fence, and practically pounded on the front door. It was on the third strike of the wood that she froze, her brow tensing.

 _Idiot! This is a date, not a soccer game! You'll scare her!_

Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck and reached a hand up to knock more softly. The door swung open as her fist went through the air-

-And landed squarely on Rarity's forehead.

The athlete jumped back with a yell, her eyes wide and her hands karate chopping through the air. " _Holy-!_ Rarity!? What are you doing here?"

Rarity winced and rubbed at the place where Rainbow had rapped her head with her knuckles. "Hello to you too, Rainbow," she groused. After giving her friend a reproving look, her expression quickly shifted to one of mischief. "Disappointed it's just me?"

Rainbow blushed. She tugged at her shirt collar. "Where's Fluttershy? We had plans!"

The fashionista leaned in the doorway, her lips tilting in a smirk. "I just came by to say hello. Fluttershy is putting on the last touches of her outfit."

"The last touches?" Rainbow said with a hint of alarm. "I told her this was going to be casual!" As she said this, she looked down at herself.

 _Damn it! I should have worn the blazer!_

Rarity giggled behind a hand. "My goodness! One would think you were nervous!"

"I am _not_ nervous," Rainbow snapped, unbuttoning the top of her shirt with more force than necessary. "Are you going to let me in, or are you going to make me wait out here like a chump?"

Her friend's smirk only widened as she stepped aside. Rainbow Dash glowered as she crossed the threshold into the cramped living room. Because she wasn't looking where she was going, her knee struck an end table. "Ow!" She pulled a foot back as if to kick the furniture. "Stupid-!" but she managed to stop herself in time with a shake and a rough exhale.

 _Cool it. You need to be calm. You need to be-_ Rainbow froze as her eyes fell on a large flower arrangement just in front of the couch.

"What the heck is that?" she said, pointing.

Rarity shut the door behind her. "You mean the flowers?"

"Yeah!"

"Those were here when I arrived!" the fashion designer appeared at the tomboy's side, her lip pouting. "I was so busy helping Fluttershy that I didn't stop to ask. It looks like a gift!"

Rainbow scowled. "From who?"

Rarity flipped both hands in a _Devil if I know_ gesture.

This made the athlete's lip curl. _Star Weld wouldn't be getting namby-pamby flowers like this. So it must have been for Fluttershy._ She couldn't help it. Quick as a rabbit, she snatched up the card. Her scowl deepened at the name on the front. "J.B.? Who is that?" She glared at Rarity.

"J.B.?" Rarity said, her nose wrinkling. Then her eyes widened. "Oh that's-!" She looked at Rainbow Dash suddenly, the corners of her mouth twitching. "A...verrry...nice...fellow!" She nodded jerkily. "Yes! My word, that J.B. is such a charmer."

Rainbow Dash's fist crumpled the card. "Well what's he doing sending Fluttershy flowers? Star Weld's going to tear him a new one!"

Rarity chuckled, her arms crossing loosely. "Are you sure Star will be the only one, Rainbow?"

The tomboy blushed, her mouth opening to let loose a stream of vehemence.

"Rarity, please don't tease her," Fluttershy said from the hallway.

Rainbow snapped her mouth shut and whipped around. Her stomach flipped, the crumpled card tumbling from her loose grip.

Fluttershy was dressed in a soft yellow flared skirt that brushed just above her knees, with a light brown knit top under a rose pink leather jacket. In her hand she held a white clutch, and resting on her bosom was Rainbow's medallion.

"Um…" Rainbow Dash swallowed through a tight throat. "Wow."

Rarity clapped her hands and squealed. "Oh! I just _knew_ you would look smashing, Fluttershy. And look, Rainbow, your necklace was just the piece we needed to pull the look together." The fashionista went to fuss over her shy friend, who blushed and let her bangs cover her face. "My goodness, how we fought for hours to find the right piece of jewelry," Rarity went on.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Rarity."

The fashionista didn't stop: "I mean, I _suppose_ we could have tried white gold, but that's _so_ 1990! It's the new millennium, you would think the stores would have more platinum!"

"Rarity."

"I even contemplated using classic gold, since Fluttershy didn't seem to have any preference-isn't that right, dear? Well, anyway, it was such a nightmare that-"

" _Rarity!_ "

"What-?" Rarity snapped, before her face went blank and she looked between Rainbow and Fluttershy like she'd just remembered where she was. "Whoopsies!" she chuckled nervously. She pointed two manicured fingers toward the front door. "I'll just… Leave you to it then." She started for the door, a light blush on her cheeks.

Rainbow frowned. _For someone who was mugged, she sure seems all right with walking home alone at night!_

"Rare, don't be a dork. I can drive you." Rainbow Dash pulled her keys out of her pocket and jingled them just for added effect. She grinned at Fluttershy. "Right?"

"Oh yes, of course!" Shy said with an emphatic nod. "It would be safer that way!"

The tomboy wondered if it was in her head, but she thought she saw Rarity's eye twitch. "Um. Right! Of course. Naturally, it would be safer."

"Cool! Well, if you're ready Flutters, let's go!" Rainbow said. She made to take a step toward the door, but paused to stoop down and grab the crumpled card. "Oh yeah. I kinda crumpled this." She awkwardly placed the ruined note card back onto the edge of the flower vase.

Fluttershy blinked at her in confusion as Rarity barely stifled a laugh.

* * *

On the drive over, Rainbow Dash suffered through a girly conversation about a European fashion show that Rarity and Fluttershy apparently both knew about. The pre-vet was sitting in the back, while the fashion designer sat in the front.

"Have you had a chance to see Cheval's summer line? Oh it is to die for!"

"I'm afraid not! I've been so busy between work and school, but I imagine it must have been enchanting."

"Oh it _is_ , darling! I was telling my stylist that if Cheval were to pass away tomorrow-"

"So you heard from Pinkie Pie, right Rarity?" Rainbow interjected. She was sick of waiting for a chance to ask.

Rarity glared at the interruption. "Yes."

"See? It was nothing to worry about."

The fashionista quirked an eyebrow. "I suppose not. Still, I would have appreciated Pinkie communicating with me better. We are organizing a very big event, after all!"

Rainbow shrugged with a, _It's Pinkie, what are you going to do?_ sort of half-grin.

When her passengers resumed their fashion talk, however, her carefree expression faded.

 _We still don't know why Pinks vanished to begin with,_ Rainbow thought with unease. _She said she got bad news at the doctor. Should I say something to the others? Pinkie didn't make me promise, but it doesn't feel right to say her business…_ She glanced sidelong at Fluttershy as they came to a stop light. _Sort of like how Pinkie was reluctant to tell me about Rarity being mugged. I don't wanna worry Flutters with that anyway. That happened two months ago. Rare is tough. She'll get over this not-sleeping thing. I'll just pull her aside and give her a pep talk or something. I'm good at pep talks._ Rainbow nodded to herself. _Yeah. Everything will be fine._

They arrived at the sorority house in quick time. Rarity exited the car and Fluttershy climbed into the front passenger seat. Rainbow leaned over and waved. "See ya, Rarity. We'll wait for you to get inside." She'd thought this would be reassuring to her friend, but now the tomboy was certain she'd seen a flash of annoyance cross her fashionable friend's face.

"Thank you," Rarity said instead. She smiled radiantly at Fluttershy. "After your dinner, you two should consider this nice ice cream parlor downtown for dessert! They have slow-churned flavors to _die_ for."

Fluttershy sank a bit in her seat. "We'll think about it," she squeaked.

Rainbow frowned, suddenly suspicious. _Wait a second_ …

"Yeah, I dunno," the tomboy said with a slow-forming grin. "I was thinking of _cake_ instead."

Rarity's smile stiffened. "Cake?"

"Yeah. Maybe even a happy birthday cake. It's _someone's_ birthday today somewhere, right?"

Fluttershy gave Rainbow a confused look. "I suppose that's true?" she said uncertainly.

Rarity, meanwhile, was outright glaring. "Hmph! Sounds like a waste of a perfectly good dessert."

While Fluttershy was focused on the fashionista saying this, Rainbow mouthed behind her back, _You're not winning!_

"Ah, who knows. We could get anything," Rainbow said with an innocent look as Shy looked next to her. The frown on the pre-vet's face suggested she was aware she was missing something.

Rarity took her distraction as an opportunity to stick her tongue out at Rainbow. This just made the athlete laugh.

Fluttershy looked between the two of them helplessly. "What's going on?" she asked.

The fashion designer patted her friend's hand. "Nothing, dearest," she waved as she walked up the path to the sorority house. " _Ciao!_ Have fun!"

Rainbow Dash waited for Rarity to enter the house before starting her car up again. She grinned at a blushing Fluttershy. "You ready?"

"Where are we going?"

The tomboy shifted into gear. "You'll see."

* * *

Inside Sugarcube Corner was as wonderfully fragrant as Fluttershy remembered. She inhaled deeply, her eyes falling shut. A happy hum escaped her. She felt a soft touch at the small of her back and her cheeks colored as she turned to regard a smiling Rainbow Dash.

"Come on, let's go sit in our old booth!" she said to Fluttershy.

The pre-vet bit her lip as they passed the other tables and booths to take a seat at their once-favored spot closer to the front counter. "Shouldn't we order something, first?"

Rainbow's smile had turned crooked as she waved to someone at the front counter. "Nah, we're kind of expected…"

Fluttershy looked to see who she was waving to, and her blue eyes popped open wide. "Pinkie Pie!" Her head whipped around. "You knew she would be here? Is that how you guessed that she contacted Rarity?"

Rainbow didn't get a chance to answer, because in the next moment, Pinkie Pie had bounded over from behind the checkout counter, reached over the table, and hugged Fluttershy's head to her chest. Her ample chest. Her _very soft_ double-D chest. Fluttershy's hands flew up, fingers splayed like she'd just been pied in the face. "Mmph!"

Pinkie, meanwhile, babbled happily, petting the back of her hair. " _Fluttershy!_ I'm so happy to see you! When Rainbow told me she was going to bring you here, I felt like throwing _ten parties at once!_ "

"Pinkie, will you let her breathe!?" Rainbow snapped.

Fluttershy was unceremoniously released and she sucked in a huge, desperate breath. Placing a hand on her chest, the blushing girl smiled her thanks at Rainbow Dash...though the tomboy didn't see it. She was too busy blushing redder than a tomato and glaring daggers at Pinkie Pie. The party planner was impervious to her friend's ire, however, and just giggled.

" _Anyway,_ " Rainbow said to Fluttershy. "I was thinking we could let Pinkie Pie surprise us, since she's so good at figuring out things we like to eat. Is that okay with you, Shy?"

Fluttershy nodded. "That sounds fun! Pinkie always does the best when it comes to picking out food."

Pinkie Pie made an _OK_ sign with her hand. "Okey dokey lokey! Just gotta answer one thing. What'll you guys have to drink?" she asked, her eyes ticking back and forth between the two of them.

"Um… Water is fine," Fluttershy said with a grateful tilt of her lips.

"Same," Rainbow said, her glare having downgraded to a pout. "Thanks, Pinks."

Pinkie saluted before turning on her heel and marching off through the service door to the kitchen. "Be back in a few!" she chirped.

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash, her smile now bemused. "She seems to be doing all right. I wonder why she vanished the way she did?" She leaned in close and asked in a lower voice, "Did she tell you?"

Rainbow rubbed the back of her hot neck. _Moron. You should've seen this question coming!_

"N-nah," the athlete said, tugging at her ear. "She didn't really. She just got busy and stuff."

Fluttershy's brow tensed and her focused gaze seemed to command Rainbow's attention. "Rainbow…" she murmured. "If you can't tell me, that's fine. You don't have to lie."

Rainbow Dash flinched and she reached across the table to grab Fluttershy's wrist. "Aw, man. Flutters, I just don't want to make Pinkie uncomfortable. She's doing me a solid by cooking for us!"

Fluttershy's cheeks tinged pink, but unlike those other nights when Rainbow had touched her in this way, she felt less startled by it. With just a beat of hesitation, she put her other hand over Rainbow's. "It's all right." She smiled reassuringly. "I wouldn't want you to break Pinkie's confidence in you." She patted the other girl's hand. "You're a good friend, Rainbow Dash."

A strange look came over Rainbow's face, making Fluttershy pause. Their gazes locked and the animal lover could feel a warmth overcoming her skin.

"I want to be good to you too, Fluttershy," Rainbow said with a little smile.

Fluttershy could hear her heart in her ears.

Her face ached from the smile that crossed her lips.

* * *

It was going well.

Rainbow Dash could hardly believe it (though if anyone asked her, she would have laughed and told them she knew it was in the bag all along).

The food was good. Pinkie Pie had made Rainbow Dash a sandwich with juicy slices of turkey, apple-butter, and arugula grilled cheese. For Fluttershy she had made a crisp tofu sandwich with peanut-ginger sauce. Neither girl was able to speak as they took bite after bite of the delicious food. Pinkie Pie beamed at them from the counter before Rainbow pointedly suggested that she not stare at them unblinkingly as they ate.

Through a bit of distraction and smooth talking, the tomboy had managed to close the distance between her and her unwitting date so that their hips touched and her arm was casually draped across the seat behind Fluttershy. Her friend, meanwhile was smiling and making eye contact, not hiding or clamming up like Rainbow had worried she would. The familiar setting, plus Pinkie Pie's close presence, seemed to put the shy girl at ease. In fact, she was the one who ended up initiating a merry trip down memory lane as they recalled the time they had first brought Princess Twilight to eat with them, or the time Rainbow and Applejack had a cake eating contest, or even the time Fluttershy had inadvertently started a food fight between Crystal Prep and Canterlot High students.

"I was so scared!" she said with a grimacing smile. "The look on Indigo Zap's face when I dropped my caramel vanilla sundae on her new shoes was so terrifying…"

Rainbow slapped a hand to her face. "Oh my gosh, that's _right!_ Then she tried to chuck her tapioca pudding at your face, but you ducked and it hit-"

"Diamond Tiara!" they said in unison, before dissolving into laughter.

"Oooh!" Pinkie Pie said from the counter after handing a customer their change. "I remember that day!"

"You should," Rainbow chortled. "You were the one who screamed, 'Food fight!'"

Pinkie snorted out a laugh before a withering look from Mrs. Cake, who was sweeping the front area, made her slouch. "Uh, yeah. And that is something I'll _never ever do again_. Right, Mrs. Cake? Ha? Ha, ha… Ha."

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy exchanged an amused look as their mutual friend vanished into the back again, her face a pink to match her hair.

"So Rainbow," Fluttershy said with a soft smile. "Have you had a chance to work on the song, yet?"

Rainbow froze. "Um… Yes?"

"Wonderful! I'd love to hear what you've done."

The tomboy squinted one eye. "Yeeeah, but… It's not that great, and it's not done, and-" she reached suddenly for her glass of water and swallowed a large gulp.

Fluttershy pouted. "Oh. Well, I suppose I understand. That was how I felt before, too. I'd hate to make you uncomfortable."

Rainbow choked mid-swallow, some water spilling down her front. _Argh, I hate it when she does the guilt trip! It's even more annoying because I know she doesn't mean it that way!_

Fluttershy put a hand over her mouth. "Gosh! Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash rasped. She sighed and tried to dry her front with a napkin. "Look, it's not fair that I made you share, then I turn around and say I don't want to." She smiled at Fluttershy. "We can go back to my dorm and I'll show you what I have. I think I even worked out a simple melody to go with it."

The animal lover smiled, "If you're really okay with it."

Rainbow nodded. "I am. Totally- _yyy!_ " Behind Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie had emerged from the service door with a blue cake that had sparklers and rainbow hearts on the side...

She jumped up from her seat, forgetting momentarily that they were in a booth, so the tops of her thighs and part of her pelvis struck the table, making the water spill down the front of her pants.

Fluttershy yelped in alarm, her hands flying to her mouth before she gingerly touched a wincing Rainbow's arm. "Rainbow-?"

The athlete didn't have time to answer.

Pinkie Pie was almost to their table. Her mouth opened as she sang, "Oooh Fluttershy-!"

Fluttershy's head started to turn. This called for desperate measures.

Rainbow grabbed the shy girl by the shoulders and hugged her. Hard. This was awkward as the tomboy was still half-standing, and so Fluttershy's head came just under her breasts where her friend pinned her there. With her free hand, Rainbow Dash waved frantically at a bewildered Pinkie Pie. Angrily, she mouthed, _Are you_ nuts!? _Take that back!_

The party girl pouted but did as she was told. Rainbow sighed with relief and released Fluttershy the moment their friend had vanished through the service door.

Shy stared up at Rainbow, her hair mussed. "Rainbow Dash, that was… Unexpected?" her eyes squinted like she didn't quite know what to make of the awkward hug.

Rainbow cleared her throat and sat down. She tugged at her collar, feeling hot all over again. "Yeah. That's me. Unexpected Dashie. I just wanted to," she wheeled a hand through the air, struggling to conjure a word, "To show my gratitude? Or whatever?"

Fluttershy blinked. "All right…"

Rainbow started to slide out of the booth. "Hey, we need a towel or something to get that water. Napkins won't cut it. I'll be back in a jiffy." She stood and made a beeline for the service door.

On the other side, Rainbow Dash found Pinkie Pie coming toward her with another cake-white this time-though her pout was still in place.

"Pinkie, that was close! Come on, man, what were you thinking?" Rainbow complained. "I know you guys got that bet going, but I'm going to do things my way! Not with a message on a cake!" She gestured at the cake in question.

The blue-frosted desert had written in red frosting on the top inside of a heart with an arrow going through it: Dashie + Flutters.

Pinkie's lips puckered as she held up the new cake-this one bereft of writing. "Re-lax! I baked an extra cake, just in case. You can't blame a girl for trying, right?"

Rainbow crossed her arms and glared her answer.

* * *

They said their goodbyes to Pinkie Pie and the Cakes, and returned to Rainbow's car. Just when Rainbow had shut her door, her phone pinged. She pulled it out and checked the notification. A text from Sunset. "There you are," she breathed as she unlocked her phone.

 **SSh: Hey. Sry. I'm ok. Not comin bak tonite tho**

Rainbow blinked and typed back a quick message.

 **R: U sure? Where u stayin?**

 **SSh: Somewhere safe. Don't worry :)**

"Rainbow?" Fluttershy said.

Rainbow Dash looked at her sharply, then put her phone away. "Sorry."

"It's all right. But you looked worried."

The tomboy waved the concern away, forcing a jaunty grin on her face. "Nah. Forget about it. Let's just get back to my dorm before it gets too late." She started up the car.

As it was a Friday night, the drive back into the city was a bit more hectic than Rainbow Dash cared for. By the time they had arrived at the dorm, she was feeling edgy and nervous. Fluttershy seemed to sense as much and refrained from speaking much.

When they entered Rainbow and Sunset's dorm room, Rainbow gestured at her desk chair to the left of the room. "Go ahead and relax. Let me dig out my guitar." She rubbed her neck as she crossed the room. "I'd, uh...offer you something to drink or eat, but neither me or Sunset have been very good at keeping the cooler stocked, so-"

Fluttershy smiled pleasantly as she started to remove her pink leather jacket. "It's fine, Rainbow. I'm-"

Rainbow's eyes widened and she practically bounded to her friend, making the animal lover shrink away with surprise. The athlete flinched and took a step back. "Woah, sorry! I just was going to, uh, take your jacket. Y'know to be...polite." She was going to say gentlemanly, but she feared that might have sounded too obvious.

Fluttershy's sleek eyebrow arched just the slightest as she held Rainbow in a wary stare. Slowly, she slipped off the jacket and held it out to her host.

Rainbow swallowed, feeling her cheeks burn as she took it and chucked it unceremoniously onto Sunset's bed. At Fluttershy's bemused look, she explained, "Sunset isn't coming back tonight."

Fluttershy's eyebrows shot up high. "O-oh…"

They stood in awkward silence, both of them looking to their shoes.

Rainbow knocked the heel of her palm into her forehead when she recalled just what they were even doing there to begin with. "Duh! I was getting my guitar to sing you the lyrics I wrote. Geez, one sec."

She went to kneel by her bed and reached under the frame. With a strong jerk, she pulled out her guitar case, her hands scrambling to hide the dirty socks and boxers that had come with it out from sight. This done, she stood and placed the case on top of her bed and extracted her instrument. The blue guitar with lightning bolts along its red neck had been a valued treasure from high school. She'd replaced the strap for it, and the strings were new, but the instrument itself she could never replace. Rainbow smiled at it like an old friend, pulling the strap over her head and holding the neck with great ease. She quickly plugged in the cord and plugged the other end into the mini-amp she had bought senior year. It didn't have the best sound, but for this impromptu performance, it would do.

Rainbow closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She turned her head to see Fluttershy sitting in her desk chair, her blue eyes focused as she smiled a sweet gentle smile that made the tomboy's heart skip a beat. Clearing her throat, Rainbow Dash put her fingers into place on the neck and switched the mini-amp on. "You ready?" she asked.

Fluttershy nodded mutely, her smile broadening.

The tomboy grinned. "So this is for my crush. Tell me if you can guess who it is." She squared her shoulders and began to play, her eyes focused on the frets:

" _I want to be what_  
 _You always know to find_  
 _On standby_  
 _And with answers primed_  
 _Ready, waiting_  
 _Ever real_  
 _Not a ghost_  
 _You cannot feel"_

Rainbow Dash raised her gaze and found it captured by Fluttershy tender eyes. Her heart skipped a beat again, she could feel the sweat forming on her brow.

Despite herself, her grin became a big smile. She didn't shy away from things, and now that she was singing and playing for Fluttershy… It felt right. _Awesome_ , even.

" _I want to be bright_  
 _When I'm usually dull_  
 _Blast away_  
 _The despicable_  
 _Be your beacon when_  
 _Fog gets dense_  
 _Lose my mask_  
 _But keep my sense"_

Rainbow's gaze turned soft as Fluttershy rose from her chair, her smile shrinking. Her face was starting to turn red. Their eyes never left each other's.

" _It's true_  
 _It's true_  
 _You never know_  
 _The sum of us may never show_  
 _The things we chased but couldn't see_  
 _But to hope, is to sometimes breathe"_

The tomboy had intended for a guitar solo after the chorus, but she figured now was a good time to stop. She strummed out some on-the-spot chords that threaded into the melody, then reached down and shut off the mini-amp. She straightened and looked at her guest. The shy girl had moved to the center of the room, her hands clasped nervously.

"Rainbow, this song…" Fluttershy looked down at her feet, her face turning even redder if possible.

Rainbow Dash pulled her guitar strap over her head and carefully replaced her instrument in its case. She closed it and propped it up against her nightstand. "So can you guess?" she asked.

"I…"

The tomboy sighed as an exasperated smile formed on her lips. "It's _you_ , featherbrain!"

Fluttershy actually took a step back at this, her eyes going wide as her hair curtained forward to hide half her face.

Rainbow Dash resisted the urge to back off. Old urges-the desire to protect her demure friend from that which made her uncomfortable-bubbled up hot and quick. They said, _This is too much. She doesn't like this. Call it off, this was a mistake._

But Rainbow still remembered what Spike had said to her:

 _Fluttershy needs a kick in the butt, not a lollipop and a pat on the head._

 _Don't let up, Dash,_ she encouraged herself. _Stay on the offensive until the right moment!_

"You know what I wanna do, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked casually, her hands shoving into her back pockets as she slowly began to approach her companion.

Fluttershy swallowed audibly as she started to retreat backwards, toward the door. "N-no?"

"I want to kiss you."

This earned Rainbow a strange mewl, unlike any she had ever heard her friend emit before. The shy girl was well-known for her pitiful squeaks and mousy whines… But this was not like any of those. The sound was tense with apprehension, yes, but it simmered with barely checked longing. Rainbow could feel the pit of her abdomen tighten, and she took a deep breath.

 _It'll be hard just going to 90% like Twi and Sun say I should if Shy keeps making sounds like that…_ she mused lustfully.

"But I'm... _not_ going to kiss you," Rainbow Dash said with some effort, her voice roughening as it dropped a pitch.

Fluttershy's head lifted, bewilderment now clouding her pretty blue eyes. "Wh-what?"

"I'm not going to kiss you, Fluttershy," Rainbow repeated firmly. She continued her steady advance. Before her friend knew it, the tomboy had her trapped against the door, her hands planted at either side of her pink head. "You know why?"

Fluttershy shook her head jerkily, visibly trembling.

Rainbow licked her lips and swallowed through a throat tight with want. "Because _you're_ going to do it."

Now the shy girl's eyes seemed to pop, her knees failing her momentarily so that she slid down along the door before she caught the knob and righted her stance. Rainbow Dash took this in with a passive expression on her face, though her eyes smoldered with impatient desire.

 _Fluttershy… Please… I'm goin' nuts here. You gotta make a move or I might just screw this all up for both of us!_

"You want _me_ to kiss _you?"_ Fluttershy finally managed to squeak.

Rainbow only nodded wordlessly.

A nervous laugh. "Oh! I… I don't think I possibly could…"

The soccer player quirked an eyebrow. "You don't want to?"

Fluttershy stiffened against the door. "What? _No!_ I mean-er-yes! Yes, I do!" She let out a little involuntary groan that made Rainbow's breath hitch. "Oh my goodness, I _really_ do, Rainbow, I'm just… I'm just a big coward, don't you see?"

"What if I made it easier for you?" Rainbow murmured with lidded eyes.

The other girl fidgeted on the spot. "How would you make it easier for me?" Her voice was tinny.

A predatory smile crossed Rainbow's lips before she pressed in so close that their noses were brushing, and she could feel her friend's anxious breath against her lips.

"Like this," she breathed. From this distance, the scent of lavender and mint was almost overwhelming. She quirked an eyebrow when Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut. "Now all you have to do is lean forward."

A low whine. "Rainbow…"

"Come on, Fluttershy."

"I just… I don't know if I can…"

"I _want_ you to."

Fluttershy's eyes fluttered open. Rainbow Dash let her rose pink gaze bore into her friend's sky blue eyes, determined to make the soul behind them understand that this was inevitable. It was the same look she gave goalies just before hitting a scoring shot. Victory was the only conceivable outcome in Rainbow's mind, and this was no different.

So when Fluttershy closed that three inch distance by simply tilting forward, Rainbow didn't feel surprised. Just relieved it had finally happened. Shy's lips were soft, moist, and warm. Rainbow's heart fluttered in her chest, and her toes tingled.

But the moment was there and gone in an instant as the animal lover pulled away quickly for what turned out to be a rather quick and chaste kiss. There hadn't even been time to close eyes and languish in the moment.

Rainbow couldn't help it. She laughed.

Fluttershy turned her face, heat practically radiating off of her. "Was that not good enough?" she asked tremulously.

Still chuckling, the tomboy answered, "Mm… I dunno."

Fluttershy looked at her in alarm. "What?"

Rainbow Dash smirked and shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah, I'm not sure. You kissed me too quick. I think you need to do it again."

Fluttershy bounced a little on the spot as she whimpered. "Rainbow Dash, you're just teasing-!"

"I'm serious!" Rainbow laughed. "I mean, it wasn't that hard, was it-?" She was cut off when Fluttershy kissed her, her lips pressing more insistently this time. Her eyebrows shot high before she allowed her eyes to close as her friend tilted her head to the side, her lips trembling as she deepened the kiss. Rainbow's body tightened as she fought to hold herself back.

 _Wait… Just wait…_

Soft fingertips touched Rainbow's tender neck, making the athlete shudder involuntarily. The other girl's lips stuttered, as if uncertain of this reaction, before resuming with new ardor, her hands pulling Rainbow in closer at the back of the neck. Their lips began to move in tandem, massaging one another sensually in an explorative dance. When Fluttershy pulled away one short minute later, her breaths were coming in short gasps. "Was that better?" she asked, her brows pressing up and together with worry.

Rainbow exhaled slowly, her expression of jest having given way to a mask of desire. "That was perfect," she growled, before stepping in to claim her prize.

Fluttershy offered little resistance as Rainbow Dash pressed her up against the door, her mouth taking her friend's in an assertive liplock that brooked no argument. But where as the shy girl had been content to focus purely on what their lips were doing, Rainbow put her years of kissing experience to good use. She pressed her entire body into Fluttershy, pinning the pre-vet against the wood as she firmly nudged her knee between her friend's legs so as to get in closer. As the only way to do this meant Fluttershy's leg also had to slip between hers, Rainbow was afforded with a pleasing pressure that made her painfully aware of how wet she was.

At first her companion seemed to shrink against the door with a whimper. Her shoulders slouched, and her feet stepped awkwardly on Rainbow's sneakers, like she was trying to get out of the way and apologize. When one of Rainbow's arms snaked around her back and pulled her in, Fluttershy shivered...then arched her body.

This single motion set off many things at once.

Rainbow could feel her knees weaken when Fluttershy's left hip ground up into her, setting off a warm flood of need up her abdomen and down her thighs. Her thoughts turned murkier as their chests slid briefly against one another, teasing Rainbow through her sports bra and making her nipples hard. Her mouth watered, but she kept her kisses simple as she suckled lightly at Shy's lower lip, making the other girl squirm deliciously once more.

The tomboy took her free hand, which had previously still been planted on the door, and buried it in Fluttershy's hair. After a few minutes ticked by of this eager, but admittedly tempered exploration, Rainbow felt bold enough to flick her tongue against Fluttershy's lips.

It was almost like Fluttershy reacted on instinct when her lips parted, like she was trying to catch a treat into her mouth and had only missed. Rainbow grinned despite herself. Her friend-her dear close friend whom she had known for years now-was opening up to her in ways that she had for few (if not no other) in the world. This was a tremendous secret to share, and Rainbow Dash felt a great pride burning in her chest that Fluttershy not only wanted her, but felt free enough to show it.

So Rainbow took Fluttershy's open mouth invitation without hesitation, her tongue finding its way inside. She flicked the tip of the other girl's tongue, teasing her briefly, before she lavished her partner with attention. Fluttershy initially responded with the same awkward hesitance as before, but within moments her arms had snaked around Rainbow's neck and her head had tilted to the side to better deepen the kiss.

The athlete didn't have many words she could attribute to this experience. The best she could come up with was Fluttershy's name over and over, like a new mantra in her head. Had she really fretted about this before? Why did she even doubt this was a good idea? Rainbow couldn't even remember the last time she had felt this good. Was it because of all the waiting? Usually, her dates were short and heated. The only girl she had ever put this much effort into had been Lightning Dust.

At the thought of her ex-girlfriend, Rainbow flinched and broke their kiss, their lips smacking and wet. She pressed her forehead to Fluttershy's and tried to catch her breath. Fluttershy panted into her open mouth, her eyes opening reluctantly.

"Rainbow?" she panted. "Did I… Did I do something-?"

"No," Rainbow said hoarsely, her gaze shifting to the side. "No, you didn't. I just wanted to catch my breath."

"Oh." The tomboy heard the other girl swallow. "That was-uh-"

Rainbow Dash laughed hoarsely. "That was awesome!"

"Yes! Heavens, yes!" Fluttershy giggled, her hips shifting and setting off another pleasurable twinge that made her partner bite her lip.

Rainbow closed her eyes, savoring the moment. Her breathing was deep, her heart rate wasn't fast, but the muscle beat hard in her chest. Adrenaline worked through her differently than most, thanks to her fit body and mental training. Rainbow Dash knew how to keep her head when the blood flowed.

So there was plenty of brain cells working when she realized she and Fluttershy had the room to themselves all night.

 _No_ , she thought immediately, her brow tensing. _Fluttershy's probably not the kind of girl who would do that on a first date, right?_

 _Technically,_ a taunting voice responded in her head, _This wasn't a first date. So what rule are you breaking?_

 _There is no way I'm going to pressure her,_ Rainbow thought fiercely, her arm tightening around Fluttershy as if to shield her from the very thought. _I can totally keep it in my pants-!_

"R-Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy's voice cut into the athlete's thoughts, making her eyes snap open again.

The shy girl was looking at her with a smoldering gaze. "I don't suppose… You've caught your breath yet?"

Rainbow sucked in a breath.

 _Yeah. You can totally keep it in your pants._ The inner voice said smugly.


	19. Chapter 18

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 18

Rainbow Dash was still a virgin.

Everyone always readily assumed the opposite, and the tomboy had been eager to perpetuate this belief. Why not? In her opinion, it made her seem cool, mature and desirable. On top of that: _experienced_ -like some guru who had all the answers if only a person were brave enough to ask. The truth of the matter? Rainbow had only ever done it with her right hand, and even then, sparingly. It had less to do with lacking sexual appetite, and much more to do with how busy she was. Plus, there was something lonely and vaguely desperate about her scant attempts at self-pleasure that always left her feeling pathetic. After all, weren't people always cracking jokes that only losers masturbated? (Or was it that losers masturbated _all the time?_ ) It made the few orgasms she had experienced weak and fleeting.

She'd heard stories. Watched porn. Sassaflash was not mealy-mouthed about her sexual escapades, a fact that had bothered Rainbow Dash at the beginning of their friendship when she'd been horny all the time and was still entertaining the idea of dating her vice captain. She knew sex could be amazing, and empowering, and blah, blah, blah…

But what did Fluttershy expect? What did she _want?_

Because right then, Rainbow Dash could only vocalize her own desires as: _MORE_.

She wanted more of her friend's lips. More of her touch. More of her breasts. Her butt. Her long legs. Her scent, skin, _moans-_

Rainbow Dash wanted everything and she wanted it _now_ , but...

But, but, but-

Fluttershy was Fluttershy. She was shy, timid and well-mannered.

Rainbow knew, right then and there, that while she may want more, she also wanted it _all_ -all of Fluttershy's attention, her affection, and her happiness-and she couldn't get that if she ruined things by rushing it. The trouble was that this awareness didn't make it any easier to resist. It bothered the athlete that she could easily pressure the pre-vet into sexual activities with barely a breath of protest, but that wouldn't make it okay. Not if Fluttershy regretted it later. Not if she felt worthless about herself.

On the flipside, Rainbow Dash wasn't exactly getting _Slow Down!_ signals from her friend. If anything, she was getting a fervent _Go, go, go!_

As the two girls savored each other's lips, Rainbow inadvertently let her frustrations roughen her attention. Her kisses turned bruising as her fingers dug into her partner's hips like claws. She ground hard into the other girl, hungry for some kind of release, but frustrated by her indecisiveness.

Keep going? Slow down? _Stop?_

When Fluttershy whimpered into her mouth, it was different from before. Not needy and lustful. Scared and uncertain. _Pained._

The fog cleared a bit in Rainbow Dash's mind and she pulled back quickly. One look at Fluttershy's wary gaze and her swollen lips told the tomboy she'd forgotten herself. She took a large step back, her eyes going wide as she buried her hands in her hair. Without her friend's body against hers she felt a bit cold, and this hastened the growth of her dismay.

"Oh man! Dude-I mean-Fluttershy, I'm-" She made as if to take a step forward, her hands held out like she wanted to hug her friend, but when Fluttershy's eyes widened, the tomboy flinched and stepped back even more. "I'm sorry. I was being too rough. I'm, uh… I'm used to that? I guess?" She rubbed her neck and looked down at her sneakers, her face burning with shame. "I've never… I've never tried to be with someone like you," she mumbled.

"Someone like me?" Fluttershy asked. Her tone sounded shaky and uncertain.

Rainbow looked at her sharply as realization came over her. "Not that you're anything bad! I meant that you're classier than other girls I've been with."

Now Fluttershy was pouting. Rainbow Dash started to sweat. _I'm digging myself deeper,_ _aren't I?_

The animal lover started to twirl a lock of her pink hair with a quivering hand. "Rainbow, the last thing I want to do is give mixed signals." She bit her lip and said in a squeakier voice as her cheeks turned rosy, "I-it's true that I would rather not go too quickly, but the fact of the matter is that I'm not... I mean… I _want_ things." Fluttershy swallowed audibly. With her chin tucked in, she looked at Rainbow through her eyelashes and whispered, "I want _you_."

Rainbow Dash shuddered as these words struck her deep. She rubbed at her face with both hands, and with a deep breath she started to take small measured steps back toward Fluttershy.

"Shy, I want you too. I know I'm not romantic, but I mean it when I say I feel freaking _good_ with you. No matter what, you're my friend, and you always will be, but I think we can have more. A lot more." Rainbow had managed to slip back into Fluttershy's personal space, their bodies joining together like they were always supposed to be a pair. The shy girl was relaxed again, her eyes lidded as she held Rainbow's gaze. The athlete reached a hand up and cupped Fluttershy's cheek, her thumb stroking along the other girl's cheekbone and making her partner sigh. "So I don't want anything to happen unless you're okay with it. If you want to stop, we can stop. And if you want to keep going…" Rainbow swallowed. When she spoke again, her voice was a little huskier. "We can keep going, too."

Fluttershy reached a slim hand up to gently touch Rainbow's wrist, her face turning into Rainbow's hand like it was the softest, most pleasant thing in the world. "Rainbow Dash," she breathed. "I confess, I don't quite know what to say!"

Rainbow chuckled. "Speechless, huh? Yeeeah… I have that effect on people." Her smile faded some as she kissed Fluttershy's brow. She left her lips pressed there as she whispered into the other girl's skin. "You could...stay. Just for tonight."

Fluttershy started to stiffen against her. "I don't know."

"I mean… Hey. Flutters." Rainbow checked her facial expression, relaxing her features into something gentler as she pulled away and sought her friend's ( _girlfriend's?_ ) eyes. "Fluttershy, it's okay. I won't pressure you to do anything. I just…" She looked down and idly scuffed a sneaker tip into the carpet. "I like holding you and stuff." When she heard no response, she looked up at Fluttershy to see the girl staring at her with wide eyes, her lips parted in astonishment. Rainbow Dash glared. "What?" she grumbled.

The animal lover's lips turned up in a shaky smile. "I like it when you hold me too," she said.

Rainbow could feel her cheeks glow with heat, but she took a breath and held out her hand. Fluttershy's brow creased when she looked at it. Slowly she raised her hand and took Rainbow's. The tomboy pulled the shy girl toward her. Fluttershy took one small step, then another.

When the back of the tomboy's knees struck the edge of her mattress, she let herself sit backward, her hand pulling Fluttershy toward her in a gentle but firm grip. The other girl squeaked, but allowed herself to fall atop Rainbow. The athlete reclined, her arms encircling the other girl so that she lay over her body. All the while, she held her friend's gaze. Anxiety brought a mild tension about Fluttershy's eyes, but she didn't look away. Encouraged by this, Rainbow Dash lifted her head and brushed her lips across her friend's.

Fluttershy let loose a small huff of breath, which felt soft and warm against Rainbow's mouth.

Rainbow kissed her again, this time letting the contact linger. When she tried to rest her head back again, Fluttershy followed her lips, a small whimper of complaint escaping her. This made the tomboy breathe in sharply, her body arching as she placed an eager hand at the back of her friend's head, her lips pressing with more energy. Fluttershy tilted her head and her pink hair spilled over her shoulder, the light and fragrant locks brushing alongside Rainbow's cheek with a feathery touch. Rainbow groaned, her leg shifting up between Fluttershy's before she flipped the girl over onto her back.

Fluttershy squealed, her hands grabbing at Rainbow's shoulders. The animal lover blinked her wide blue eyes, her chest heaving as she looked up. Rainbow Dash snaked one arm underneath her partner, and with her knee pressing up and a devilish grin, she shifted Fluttershy further onto the bed. The shy girl gasped, her fingers digging into Rainbow's shoulders, but by the way her thighs squeezed around the tomboy's leg, she had enjoyed that maneuver…

Rainbow Dash licked her lips once before swooping in to resume their heated kissing. Fluttershy whimpered again, her arms tucking in like she was trying to make herself as small as possible, but her mouth opened willingly to allow Rainbow's tongue to slip in to taste her…

The fog of desire closed in again, making Rainbow's motives simple and her attention focused very much on the present. As such, she didn't quite pause to think what grinding her hips into Fluttershy's would elicit, but when the girl beneath her moaned and moved her hips in response, it just seemed logical to keep going, and _harder_. Then when Shy started to nervously explore Rainbow's abs underneath her button-up shirt, it stood to reason that Rainbow would rear back, rip the front of her shirt open, and descend on her partner again, giving unfettered access to her flushed skin. And when those hands-those warm, trembling hands-had their fill of exploring Rainbow's flexing back and her defined abdomen, they tentatively traced upward, along the tomboy's ribs, and _hovered_ , uncertain, as if too scared to make that last stretch of inches on their own.

So it seemed quite within reason that Rainbow would break their kiss and pull back just enough to grab these hands-these beautiful, but infuriating hands-and force them onto her sports bra-covered breasts. Rainbow Dash panted, her eyes lidded as she gazed down at a stunned Fluttershy, whose expression seemed to be a strange mix of lust and horror.

"Fluttershy," Rainbow said huskily. "If you want to touch me, do it. Don't worry about offending me or something dumb like that, okay featherbrain? I want you to. I really, _really_ want you to touch me." Her last words frayed, then petered out to a hoarse whisper as she let her hands trail up Fluttershy's arms to gently take hold of her friend's face. She pressed in close, swallowing back her groan of pleasure as she brushed the other girl's nose with her own and murmured. "I want you to be my girlfriend. I want my girlfriend to touch me."

This didn't quite have the effect Rainbow had been expecting. She'd been hoping for a sudden release of her demure date-a transition from timid to bold. Instead what she saw were tears forming in the other girl's eyes.

Fluttershy quickly leaned up and pecked Rainbow on the lips in another one of her chaste, but strangely evocative kisses. As her hands gently started to knead Rainbow's chest, she said with a quivering smile and a choked voice, "Rainbow, I've never wanted anything more."

Rainbow Dash felt like someone had taken the breath out of her lungs. She smiled deliriously. "You mean it?" she managed to whisper hoarsely.

An emphatic nod. "Yes!"

Fluttershy's touch left Rainbow's chest and moved next to her neck, where she pulled the tomboy in for a deep kiss. Fluttershy arched into her friend, making Rainbow grind into her again. Things started to get heated once more when a buzzing from the other bed could be heard. They ignored it until the sound went away.

When the buzzing returned, they both froze.

Rainbow Dash pulled back reluctantly with a frown. "Is that your phone?" she asked with a pant.

Fluttershy's face tensed as she looked at Sunset Shimmer's side of the dorm room, where her jacket and purse had been deposited on the other bed. "Maybe?"

From the pre-vet's expression, Rainbow knew with a scowl that this was not something that could be left unattended. "It's your brother, isn't it?" she grumbled.

Fluttershy winced as she gently squirmed out from under the athlete. Rainbow growled and flopped over onto her back as her companion hurried to her belongings. The tomboy put an arm over her eyes and tried to catch her breath. She heard Fluttershy rustling through the purse.

"Um…" she heard the shy girl say.

Rainbow Dash removed her arm and looked. Fluttershy was giving her a pained expression, her body shifting from one foot to the other in a nervous little dance as she held her lit up smartphone. "Star Weld was checking up on me. I…sort of told him I'd text him."

The tomboy flipped a hand and raised an eyebrow in a _So?_ gesture.

Fluttershy bit her lip and looked down, her hair curtaining over her eyes. "If… If I stay the night, I want him to know where I am. But then… But then I don't want to take advantage of his trust when I already told him I'd introduce him to anyone I got involved with. So… So that would mean that us having-doing-er- _initiating_ anything prior to that would feel...w-wrong."

Rainbow took a deep breath to quell her disappointment. _I can keep it in my pants, I can keep it in my pants, I can keep it in my pants-_

"That's fine," she said eventually. "I understand, Fluttershy. That's cool that you'd respect your brother like that." She sat up and started to button her shirt again. Despite her lingering desire, she grinned. "So you want to 'present' me to your bro, huh?"

Fluttershy nodded meekly, her chin still tucked in.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Damn. Old fashioned…" She sighed and stood to her feet. With a smile, she hugged Fluttershy and kissed her forehead. "It's fine. Whenever you want to tell him, I'm down."

She could feel the other girl tremble in her arms. "Rainbow," she said. "I hope you don't think I'm trying to tie you down right away. I-I mean it would be lovely if things go that way- N-not that I expect they would! But I'd hate for you to think I'm needy."

The tomboy rolled her eyes and bopped her friend very lightly on the head with the edge of her hand, making the other girl squeak. "Relax, featherbrain," Rainbow Dash said with a smirk. "I get it."

Fluttershy sighed with relief, her body relaxing against Rainbow's.

The tomboy allowed for a small grimace to form on her face as she thumbed toward the bathroom. "Um. I'm not gonna lie, though. I need a _really_ cold shower right now if we're going to stop."

The animal lover blushed and stepped away. "O-oh…"

Rainbow Dash laughed. Her primal desires may have remained unsatiated, but she felt light...and happy. She grinned as she gestured at the bed. "Go ahead and get comfortable. I've even got an extra towel and clothes to sleep in if you wanna freshen up after me. We can watch a movie or something on my laptop. Did you have plans tomorrow? I have a team practice in the evening, but aside from that, I'm totes free."

Fluttershy bit her lip in thought. When she spoke, her lips twitched upwards at the corners. "Well, if you're really free, we could get breakfast in the morning. I was going to go to the animal shelter to volunteer in the afternoon. I haven't been there in a long time." She ducked her gaze. "B-but I know that's not really your thing, so-"

Rainbow gently took hold of Fluttershy's chin, tilted her face up, and kissed her softly on the lips. When the other girl melted against her, the tomboy smirked and murmured, "A day with you sounds pretty awesome to me, Flutters…"


	20. Chapter 19

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 19

Rainbow had failed to take into account what a challenge it would be to keep herself from getting worked up the rest of the night. She was respectful, of course. She didn't hover at the bathroom door like some creep when Fluttershy had taken up her offer to wash up and change into pajamas. But when the pre-vet student emerged from the bathroom in Rainbow's short shorts, steam curling around her bare legs, and her petite hands tugging nervously at the thin fabric of the white scoop neck t-shirt she was borrowing…

The tomboy had been in the middle of bringing her laptop to her bed and nearly dropped it onto the floor.

Fluttershy wasn't wearing a bra.

Rainbow Dash swallowed hard as she made a conscious effort to meet her friend's wide eyes. Were they really going to try and get through the entire night without doing _anything?_

 _I'm in trouble._

"You look good," Rainbow said, trying to keep her tone light and her expression clear.

"Thank you," Fluttershy said with a tensed brow. She bit her lip and looked down at her wiggling toes. "I, um… Can't sleep with-with _that_ on, so I was hoping it would be o-okay-"

"Yeah!" the tomboy said, perhaps a bit too loudly. Her shy friend shrank in on herself, her pink hair curtaining forward. Rainbow winced and rubbed the back of her neck. "It's fine. Who sleeps in bras anyway? Nobody, that's who." She said this, fully aware that she was wearing a sports bra underneath her freshman soccer jersey from high school. She had been trying to keep from freaking Fluttershy out by keeping an extra layer of clothes between them. Now Rainbow fully intended on discarding the undergarment the first chance she got.

Her reasons for doing so were entirely innocent, of course. Bras _were_ uncomfortable to sleep in, after all.

With her sporty friend's reassurances, Fluttershy straightened again, a timid smile barely curving her lips up. "I'm glad." She gestured at the laptop in Rainbow's hands. "What movie did you have in mind for tonight?"

Rainbow glanced at it as if just remembering she even had the device. "Oh! I dunno. I was thinking we could look together." She paused and raised an eyebrow. "Unless you've got an idea?"

Fluttershy's smile broadened into something brighter.

* * *

She was standing in a grove under a full moon, her eyes closed and the wind sweeping through her pink hair. She didn't feel the chill of that night, though she was only dressed in a green skirt and white tank top. A soft voice spoke behind her. She tried to understand the words, but the harder she focused on them, the more garbled they became. Frustrated, Fluttershy opened her crimson eyes and turned to look over her shoulder.

Rainbow Dash stood just at the circle of trees, sweat drenching her face as her large blue wings folded neatly behind her. Her hair was disheveled. She must have just landed. Fluttershy's wings stirred on her back, the smooth yellow membranes expanding in preparation of catching the wind for flight. The tomboy held up her hands and took a panicked step forward, her wide rose pink eyes charged with alarm as she said something else. Again, the words failed to have meaning. It was like listening to a record going backwards.

Fluttershy turned around completely, her bat-like wings expanding to their full length and casting a long shadow over the grove's shifting grass. Rainbow froze, her expression hardening as her fists clenched. The pink-haired girl held out a hand to her rainbow-streaked friend. The offering was regarded with furrowed brow and pursed lips. Fluttershy's keen gaze caught the sight of sweat rolling down her companion's pulsing temple.

Rainbow Dash took a step forward. Then another.

Her hand gently touched into Fluttershy's palm, her wings flaring just a little at the contact. Their eyes met.

Fluttershy clutched the other girl's hand with her claws, pulling her in with a violent jerk and a strength that surprised even Rainbow Dash. The tomboy's head was swiftly wrenched aside, her struggles fierce but fruitless. With a grin, the once-shy girl bared her fangs and bit into her prey's neck.

From a tree just behind them, a small bat smiled, its eyes glowing red.

* * *

Fluttershy awoke with a jerk and a sharp intake of breath, her body soaked in sweat and her muscles clenched tight. Rainbow stirred behind her, one of the tomboy's arms holding loosely around the shy girl's waist as Rainbow's breath brushed Fluttershy's neck.

"Shy?" Rainbow mumbled, her eyes squinting open. "You 'kay?"

The animal lover smiled shakily, her eyes wide and her heart racing.

 _That's right! I… I slept with Rainbow last night!_

"I'm fine, Rainbow. Bad dream."

Rainbow Dash grunted, a frown creasing her brow. "That sucks."

"It's all right. Please. Rest some more. I think it's still early." And it was. The room hadn't even been lit by the rising sun yet.

Rainbow yawned and settled in closer. "Don't gotta tell me twice," she mumbled with a small smirk. Rainbow's knees drew up to touch the back of Fluttershy's knees as the length of her body pressed in, like she was molding herself to the animal lover's shape. Fluttershy stiffened, her breath catching as she stared wide-eyed at the empty bed across the room. Then, slowly, she touched Rainbow's arm across her stomach and exhaled. The tension eased.

Though her eyes burned, the shy girl kept them open. She was tired, and she knew a few more hours of rest would do her well, but her mind had started to spin and she knew it would be pointless to pursue sleep. At least until she could calm her thoughts.

 _Rainbow Dash wants me to be her girlfriend. I'm laying in her bed. She's… She's holding me._

Somehow, it still didn't feel real.

A curious thing, since her nightmare had felt so visceral. Why did she keep dreaming about bats lately? Had she watched a bat special and simply forgot about it?

 _I love bats!_ Fluttershy thought with a soft scowl. _Why are my dreams making them feel…_

Her thought petered out and her scowl deepened. What did the bat feel like in her previous dream? What had her 'vampire' self felt like in her dream tonight?

Fluttershy's expression lengthened as her hand tightened on Rainbow's arm.

 _Selfish._

All this time, she had been conspiring to monopolize Rainbow's project time, when the other girl had clearly needed help. They should have been farther along by now. Fluttershy had lied and said she still needed to work on the outline for the first chapter, but the truth of it was that she ought to be on the _fourth_ chapter by now. She'd been thinking only of herself, and Rainbow Dash had trusted her. Worst of all, Fluttershy had been doing it all with the express purpose of somehow 'wooing' Rainbow, and the other girl had apparently been harboring her own feelings already, swiftly beating the animal lover to a confession. The scheme had been pointless. A waste of time.

Tears pricked Fluttershy's eyes as she bit hard on her lip.

 _How could I be so small-minded? Rainbow trusted in me!_

For the next few minutes, Fluttershy fought against the oncoming tears that threatened to dampen Rainbow's pillow. With some deep breaths and thoughts of cute, furry woodland creatures, she managed to calm herself once more. Carefully she dabbed at her eyes and murmured, "No more."

From this point on, she vowed to do everything she could to make sure Rainbow Dash did not fail her class. She couldn't believe she had actually suspected (though she hadn't even put the notion into words, even in her own mind) that her friend had been angling to get her to do all the work.

 _Rainbow wouldn't do that to me_ , Fluttershy thought firmly. _Not after she told me how she felt!_

With a small nod, the girl closed her eyes and visualized something pleasant:

Rainbow Dash freestyling with a soccer ball, grinning widely all the while…

Sleep came gradually, but it did come.

* * *

Somehow, getting dressed in the morning had gone a lot smoother than washing up the previous night. Rainbow was relieved that some of the awkwardness had been sloughed away. It was like she and Fluttershy were remembering: _Oh! We're friends. We've always been friends. We've even had sleepovers. There's a way to do this that isn't weird!_

The best part was when they had both gotten dressed-Rainbow in fresh clothes; Fluttershy in the ones from the night previous-there was no more guessing.

No more wondering, no more freaking, no more stressing out…

Just hugs. Just kisses. Just-

 _Damn, we should have done this sooner,_ Rainbow thought as she stole one more kiss before the elevator arrived.

Something tickled Rainbow's mind as she grinned and draped an arm over her blushing new girlfriend. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Had she left a light on in the dorm room? Did she forget to pay a bill? Was there something else she had to do for the soccer team she might have forgotten about?

 _Forget it_ , she thought as she cornered Fluttershy in a corner of the elevator and nibbled on the pre-vet's earlobe, making the girl whimper and squirm against her body. _You can deal with whatever it is later. This is_ way _more fun._

When they arrived at her car, she pressed up against her girlfriend at the passenger door and murmured, "So where do you wanna get breakfast?"

Fluttershy shifted against her, her eyes darting to the side as if afraid someone might see them and object to their closeness for some reason. Her blue eyes fluttered as she opened her mouth, but the only thing that escaped her lips was a small squeak.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, despite the grin on her face. She took a step back and asked again, "Where do you wanna get breakfast, Fluttershy?"

As if freed from the stimulation to once again think coherently, Fluttershy made to speak once again.

"Um." The other girl fidgeted against the car door, her face a bright shade to match her hair. "W-we can get donuts? At D-Donut Joe's?"

Rainbow's grin broadened and she gave a firm nod. "Sounds awesome!" She stepped in close again, her hand gently moving Fluttershy aside as she opened the door and gestured at the seat. "After you," she said with a wink.

Fluttershy ducked her head and hurriedly slipped into the car. Ordinarily this bashfulness would have annoyed Rainbow, but now that she was more fully aware of the kind of effect she was having on her new partner, it only delighted her.

 _This is gonna be totally sweet_ , the athlete thought with a sharkish grin as she went around to enter her vehicle.

After all, just because Fluttershy said she wanted to wait for the hot and heavy stuff didn't mean they still couldn't have _some_ fun.

Last night was a good example. Rainbow had been skeptical of her new girlfriend's viewing choice for the night-some goofy cartoon about a boy with a gem in his belly who lived with three aliens by the ocean, and the random adventures they had. But as they continued to watch, the tomboy had to admit the show was growing on her. They were even a few cool fight scenes. At one point, she'd had to fight off tears when the main character had learned something revealing about his dead mother. She'd played it off as allergies rather successfully, she thought.

But even as Rainbow Dash found herself growing more invested in Fluttershy's strangely relatable kid's show, she still couldn't quite ignore the soft and warm body in her bed. For the most part, her partner's attention was on the show playing on the laptop on the corner of Rainbow's study desk, but when the athlete nuzzled the animal lover's neck, she was rewarded with a small shudder. During one daring moment, Rainbow had let her hand slip under Fluttershy's shirt to gently stroke her companion's soft stomach, and the other girl's breath hitched.

The best moment had come when Fluttershy- _Fluttershy_ -had turned on her side to lay her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder, and her leg wrapped around Rainbow's. The tomboy's eyebrows rose, her eyes widening as she let her arms settle around the shivering girl. The animal lover peered up at her through her eyelashes, her eyes wide. Rainbow stared back, her expression blank. Then her face split into a massive smile. She hugged Fluttershy and kissed the top of her hair.

 _This is so awesome_.

And it had been.

After watching every single episode of Fluttershy's cartoon, they had fallen asleep late in each other's arms. It was in the course of sleep that the shy girl had turned away from her, but Rainbow had held on, even in her dreams.

As they drove to Donut Joe's, Rainbow's smile waned.

 _Wait. That's right. Shy had a nightmare this morning_.

It bothered her to think that Fluttershy would be troubled by such things after the night they'd had, but even she was aware this was hubris talking. Just because Fluttershy was into her didn't mean other things still couldn't trouble her. Like her job for instance.

 _Was that what she had a nightmare about?_ Rainbow thought with a sideways glance at her girlfriend. _Should I ask?_ Her jaw clenched. _Either way, I think I should pay a visit to that animal hospital. Those jerks better leave her alone from now on. Or else._ She even believed her threats.

Their arrival at Donut Joe's was swift since it wasn't that far from campus. Rainbow held the door open for Fluttershy, making the other girl smile bashfully. With a bounce in her step, the soccer player followed her girlfriend into the establishment. The little shop felt welcoming and familiar, and Joe smiled at them with recognition lighting up his green eyes under the fringe of his mahogany brown hair.

"Hey, hey! Long time no see, ladies!" the man greeted as they approached the counter. He tipped back his white baker's cap and grinned as he leaned forward. "Say. Shouldn't you be at Canterlot High right now? I'll have you know, I'm good friends with the principals!" His eyes wrinkled with mirth as his grin widened.

Rainbow crossed her arms and cocked a hip, though her lips slanted upwards. "Hilarious, Joe. Don't think I didn't see you at our graduation!" Fluttershy giggled at her side.

The man chuckled and held up his hands. "Ya caught me. But hey, you two didn't come here to see my ugly mug. What can I get ya?"

"Oh, it's always so very nice to see you, Joe...but since you asked," Fluttershy said, gravitating toward the display case.

A few minutes later and the two girls were seated in the corner of the shop with a box of donuts, the tomboy sipping orange juice, the pre-vet coffee.

"So what are we doing at the animal shelter?" Rainbow asked, turning her cup idly as she bounced her knees under the table.

Fluttershy smiled. "I wanted to go around and visit all the pets before seeing whatever there was we could help with!"

A grimace. "I know I'm tagging along, but I'm going to have to draw the line at cleaning the hamster habitat. Rarity told me about the last time she volunteered with you."

The animal lover tilted her head to one side. "But Rarity didn't clean the hamster habitat!" Fluttershy's smile returned as she suddenly giggled. "She did cause a bit of a ruckus when she made all the hamsters outfits, though!"

Rainbow had been sipping orange juice when she laughed and choked on her drink. Fluttershy was quick to offer her a napkin, but she was shaking so hard from her stifled laughter, the thin paper quivered in her hand.

"That was pretty convenient of Rarity to leave that out," Rainbow managed to chuckle, one hand dabbing at the juice drops on the table.

"I think she was a little embarrassed that the hamsters had such a strong effect on her. She even named them all!"

Rainbow shook her head. "Geez!"

Fluttershy hummed happily as she sipped at her coffee, her eyes still squinting with mirth. When she set her coffee down again, she said, "I'd be careful, Rainbow. The animal shelter has a way of worming its way into your heart. I bet you'll find a cute critter that will make an impression on you!"

The tomboy snorted. "Fat chance!" When it struck her how that sounded, she straightened in her seat and added hurriedly. "N-not that I don't care about sad animals or whatever. Just that I'm not a mushy person!" She shrugged one shoulder. "If I ever got a pet, it'd have to be a cool and powerful one. I doubt I'd find that at the animal shelter."

Fluttershy only quirked an eyebrow, her lips not quite curving up, but clearly hiding something in the corners. "You'd be surprised."

Rainbow Dash smirked. "We'll see." They held each other's gaze for a long moment. The athlete could feel her heartbeat quicken. Clearing her throat, she gestured at her companion's drink. "I didn't think you liked coffee, Shy!"

Fluttershy's blue eyes blinked owlishly as if coming out of a daze. She looked down at her coffee cup before lifting it for a sip. "I didn't like coffee at first. But I suppose I've spent so much time around Star Weld and Rarity that it just sort of grew on me…"

The tomboy snapped her fingers excitedly. "Darn! Speaking of Rarity, I have her money for the shirt. I should have told you earlier. I would have given it to her last night, but I had left it at the dorm before getting you. I don't like carrying too much cash on me. If I'd known she was going to be there, I would have brought it."

"You're going to have a hard time giving that money to her, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said with a small frown.

Rainbow opened their donut box and arched an eyebrow. "I'm not taking no for an answer," she said firmly. She selected a glazed donut.

The pre-vet turned her cup on the table. Her shoulders inched up. "I don't want her to think I'm not grateful…"

"Flutters, stop worrying about it! I'll try and see if she's free within the next few days, and the whole thing will get sorted, okay?" Rainbow reached over and grabbed Fluttershy's wrist.

The other girl smiled weakly. "All right. I'll try."

"Atta girl!" Rainbow smiled before taking a large bite of her glazed donut. Some of the glaze clung to her lips, and she closed her eyes. "Mmm!"

She felt a soft touch at her lower lip that made her eyes snap open. Fluttershy withdrew her hand as her cheeks colored pink. Small bits of glaze clung to the pad of her thumb. "Sorry!" the animal lover squeaked. "Y-you had something on your, um-"

Rainbow Dash smirked. She gently took hold of Fluttershy's hand and with a quick glance at Joe and the few other customers in the shop, she dipped her head down and suckled the girl's thumb. The pieces of glaze that was there tasted sweet on Rainbow's tongue, but not nearly as sweet as the low whine that escaped her companion before the tomboy hastily withdrew.

A scan of the shop said that Rainbow had not disrupted the family environment, but one look at Fluttershy's ducked head said she very well may have broken her friend. The smugness vanished from the athlete as she leaned forward and whispered. "Shy? Hey, my bad. That was too much, wasn't it?"

A low squeak.

Rainbow Dash leaned in a bit closer. "Didn't catch that, Fluttershy."

The small sound came again.

Rainbow huffed in frustration as she rose a bit out of her seat to press in close. She reached in through Fluttershy's curtain of soft pink hair to murmur, "Listen, I was just fooling around-!"

The athlete broke off when Fluttershy moved swiftly, her lips landing on Rainbow Dash's in a quick peck before she withdrew and whispered shakily: "I'm n-not mad. I just… I need some air." She stood to her feet and added with a shaky grin, "I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of a cold shower."

Rainbow blushed hard, the pit of her abdomen tightening. She sat back hard in her seat as Fluttershy retreated as quietly as she could out through the front doors.

 _How does she do that?_ The tomboy wondered with a bewildered frown. Her lips still tingled from the chaste kiss her girlfriend had left there. She touched her mouth absently as she stared at her partially eaten donut, still held loosely in her other hand. _It's like I have to work so hard to be all sexy, and she just..._ is! _It's almost unfair!_

Rainbow Dash used the time she had alone to resume eating her glaze donut and to puzzle out Fluttershy's allure. She had thought she had worked out everything there was to like about the animal lover when she'd had that chat with Twilight and Sunset, but that was at a different stage of their relationship-the 'before' time. The _crush_. Crushes were all about the wanting and what ifs. Now it wasn't just a crush anymore, was it? The want was being catered to. The what ifs were being answered in real time.

But the answers were spawning new questions. New possibilities. It was a real relationship in the works, like a good soccer play forming on a white board. Rainbow could almost imagine the x's and o's in her mind's eye, dotting a milky landscape as this new reality set in.

She was realizing, with a jolt, that she really liked Fluttershy. This fact had been on her radar before, perhaps, but not so definitively as right then. With each moment that Rainbow spent with Fluttershy, she was discovering new things to like about the other girl. Like how her desire was simple. Innocent. _Earnest_. She was quite literally a girl nervously getting in touch with her more carnal desires, but her abundant feminine energy was softening the edges, making it sweet and inviting.

Perhaps that was why those small kisses and guileless admissions felt so arousing?

Rainbow could feel a warmth take over her as one mind-blowing thought took hold:

 _No one's ever treated me this way._

All of her past girlfriends. Even her own father. Rainbow Dash was so used to expecting some kind of angle. Some ulterior motive. Some _trap_ to guilt her into something.

Fluttershy did none of these things when they had just been friends. Though it shouldn't have surprised her, Rainbow realized that the shy girl would _never_ do these things, even now that they were dating. It was a happy and strangely nerve-wracking revelation. All of a sudden she was at a new standard. When she was with her past girlfriends, there was always the knowledge that she was just a step away from bailing on the relationship. Treating them as unimportant hadn't been that big a deal. They treated her similarly. But Fluttershy was special. Fluttershy was _serious_.

 _Wow, I hope I don't screw this up_ …

Her phone buzzed. Rainbow Dash jumped and pulled it out of her pocket. It was a text from Twilight.

 **TS: Sunset texted me last night. Did she text you too?**

Rainbow tapped out a quick reply. The exchange went swiftly.

 **R: Ya. She slept sum place else**

 **TS: Did you find anything while she was away?**

The tomboy winced. She really needed to stop forgetting to get back to people when she said she would. She typed back:

 **R: Ya… Sry. Got caught up in stuff ystrday. Shoulda called**

 **TS: It's all right.**

 **R: Went on a date with Shy.**

 **TS: Wow, really!? That was fast!**

 **R: Only way I do things. :) We're gonna start dating**

 **TS: Congratulations! I'm so happy for you two!**

 **R: Thx!**

 **TS: So what did you find at Sunset's?**

 **R: Biz card. I wanna do a stakeout 2nite. Can u call AJ? She could help**

 **TS: Ok…? But why me?**

 **R: U kno y. :/**

 **TS: Eventually you two are going to have to work out this animosity that's grown between you since high school. You can't keep sweeping it under the rug!**

 **R: U gonna call her or not? :(**

 **TS: Ugh… Fine. But I'm telling her you're gonna be there! If I lie to her, she'll be upset with me.**

 **R: Cool thx.**

 **TS: So where is this place? When are we meeting?**

 **R: I'll txt deets l8er. Still with Shy**

 **TS: Ooh la la!**

 **R: w/e :P**

Rainbow's head jerked up as Fluttershy re-entered the shop, her cheeks still a bit pink, though she was no longer bowing her head. Shy tucked her phone away, which the athlete suspected was the reason her girlfriend had been outside so long. Donut Joe said something to the pink-haired girl, and the two started small talk. Nervously, Rainbow Dash tapped a short message on her screen.

 **R: g2g, ttyl**

As she went to lock her phone, she saw Twilight's reply for a split second before stuffing the device back into her pocket with a grimace:

 **TS: If you say so, love bird… :P**

Fluttershy laughed pleasantly as she and Joe finished their short exchange. She approached the table and her smile waned a bit at the fixed grin on Rainbow's face.

"Rainbow, is something wrong?" the animal lover asked.

Rainbow Dash reached forward and took her girlfriend's hand, pulling the other girl closer. "Nah!" Her smile eased into something more natural as she hugged Fluttershy around the waist, making the pre-vet blush red again. "I was just wondering if we'd be better off eating these donuts somewhere more private…"


	21. Chapter 20

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 20

The animal shelter was off the interstate highway going south, and that way was mostly comprised of fields and forest. They pulled off onto a little known hiking trail where Fluttershy led Rainbow to one of her favorite spots. It was quiet and secluded. Sunny, but with some shade. The animal lover removed her leather jacket and laid it on the grass for them to sit. There, they sat down and had a few donuts. Then they shared a few kisses. That in turn evolved into a great deal of hugging, which somehow incorporated even more kissing. The next thing the animal lover knew, she was pinned up against a slanted tree that made it easier for Rainbow to get leverage on her squeaky partner.

Fluttershy was sensing that Rainbow Dash thoroughly enjoyed cornering her, and if she was perfectly honest with herself, she was quite happy to be cornered. It was just...new. She'd never kissed anyone before, having been too shy to date in high school, but when she focused more on the sensations and less on her thoughts, she found the experience to be much more intuitive than she had previously expected. If Rainbow suckled her lower lip (which Fluttershy loved) then the girl would in turn lightly trace her tongue over her new girlfriend's upper lip. If Rainbow turned her head to the side, Fluttershy would in turn move her head the opposite way to provide better access. Her instincts for intimacy seemed to go beyond even these logical moves. For instance-

Fluttershy really liked jelly donuts. Her favorites were the raspberry flavored ones that were both tangy and sweet at the same time. After a particularly large bite, her tongue would ignite with sensation, making her shiver in delight. Pinkie Pie had teasingly called it, the Yummershy Effect.

The girl blushed as Rainbow's tongue swirled around hers, one of the athlete's hands reaching under Fluttershy's shirt to trace her heated skin, and all the while the sweet tang of raspberries tickled her tastebuds. She chased the flavor eagerly, her tongue energetically exploring her partner's mouth as she delighted in the heady mix of raspberry and mesmerizing sensation.

 _I'm glad Pinkie isn't here to see… She'd call what I'm feeling that embarrassing phrase. But Rainbow is just… She's just so…_

Fluttershy gave up trying to define what her girlfriend was because Rainbow Dash had just grabbed her wrists and pinned them over her head. Shy's eyes snapped open as Rainbow pulled back to eye her with a smirk.

"Do you know how cold that shower was last night?" Rainbow murmured huskily.

The animal lover gave the smallest shake of her head. She had the wide eyed look of a frightened rabbit.

Rainbow's smirk took on a predatory tilt. "Think polar ice caps."

"B-but the ice caps are melting, aren't...they…?" Fluttershy trailed off at the dry look the tomboy was leveling at her.

"My _point_ , featherbrain, is that I really, _really_ want you."

Fluttershy squirmed. "Rainbow-"

Rainbow Dash let go of one wrist to place a hand on the girl's lips. Fluttershy obediently kept her arm in place as she fell quiet. The athlete returned her hand to the girl's wrist, but it was with a gentler grip.

"I know you want to wait. I can wait. I can." Rainbow grinned and let her hands trail down Fluttershy's arms, past her shoulders, where her touch slowed considerably along the sides of her breasts. "I reserve the right to tease you like crazy, though!"

Fluttershy whimpered, her body shifting against the tree trunk. "Rainbow Dash, that's...that's not fair!"

Rainbow's grin faded as she leaned in close, her wet mouth on Fluttershy's ear. Her voice was all hot breath: "Fair like how you're still not wearing a bra right now?"

It was true. Fluttershy had foregone replacing her bra from the previous night in favor of stashing it in her purse. It hadn't been with the intention of teasing Rainbow. Rarity had dug out a lacy brassiere she'd purchased for Fluttershy's last birthday and all but threatened death should she refuse to wear it. The thing was a push-up bra, and dreadfully itchy. Fluttershy wanted to be comfortable and focused during her time at the animal shelter.

Now she wished she had perhaps thought about the implications of her choice a little more.

The animal lover sucked in air as Rainbow's hands grasped her breasts firmly, pushing them up and against each other. Her back arched a little. Rainbow practically purred, her teeth lightly nipping at Fluttershy's earlobe. The girl could feel her girlfriend press in closer, her thigh pushing into her pleasure center with some insistence. Fluttershy's throat tightened. She bit her lip to stifle the growing need building up inside of her-

Rainbow Dash's mouth trailed from her ear down her neck where she grazed her teeth lightly over the sensitive skin. Fluttershy, still with her hands over her head, let out a low squeak.

As if encouraged by this, the pre-vet felt Rainbow bite and suck hard on her skin, making the shy girl buck lightly with surprise. Still, even this did not extract the reaction that the tomboy seemed to be hunting for.

Fluttershy felt Rainbow meant what she said about respecting her wishes-they were still fully clothed, and the girl was sure her partner knew just how much she was enjoying this...but it was a delicious kind of cruelty, to be so worked up and have no way of releasing the tension. Rainbow Dash was mischievous, an aspect of her personality that Fluttershy had always thought both intimidating and enticing at the same time. But was she also secretly a masochist? Wasn't she feeling just as desperate for release?

Though Fluttershy supposed that was the point. Rainbow Dash was always the sort to push her limits. If the line that was drawn stopped at "clothes off" then the tomboy would happily find ways to work around that.

Like when the pads of her thumbs flicked Fluttershy's nipples through the fabric of her shirt.

The tension in Fluttershy's throat peaked. She couldn't contain it anymore.

A long, strangled moan escaped her. It was low and soft, but there was no denying what the sound had been.

Somehow, Fluttershy knew she had admitted something she could not take back. It was like a firework going off in a dark night sky. She was out of her mind with need, to the point that complex thought escaped her, and Rainbow Dash heard her loud and clear.

With a low growl, the tomboy shifted down to grab Fluttershy's leg behind the knee. With a strong jerk, she pulled the girl's leg up and gyrated with her hips. Fluttershy let out a choked gasp, her hands finally falling from their position up high to clutch at Rainbow's hips-not to push her away, but to _keep her girlfriend close_. Their lips found each other's in a heated kiss, and Fluttershy felt herself slipping beneath the surface of her self-control, a warm bliss rising up over her head as she held on to Rainbow Dash with a desperate grip.

Shy's body tensed and her fingers dug into Rainbow's hips as she moved in tandem with the other girl. The tomboy moaned into her mouth, the sound low, but unmistakably vulnerable, like the athlete was on the brink and she was powerless to resist it.

It was a strange thing to hear from the rough and tough Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy couldn't help but feel her pride swell at the thought that the athlete could reveal such a thing to her. It was intimate. Personal.

Fluttershy's arms wrapped around Rainbow's neck as she moved with more confidence. She brushed her lips against her girlfriend's tenderly, and breathed, "Rainbow Dash…"

Rainbow's breath hitched, she hugged Fluttershy and buried her face in the girl's neck, as she let out a choked groan. Even as the animal lover felt the athlete's body relax into small shudders, she didn't stop grinding her hips. With Rainbow holding her, her hot breath tickling her collarbone, Fluttershy could feel the knot in the pit of her stomach release, a cool wave sweeping through her as her head threw back and groaned softly.

When the last twinges of pleasure eased out of her, Fluttershy settled back against the tree, her body limp and her eyes closed. She was panting, but smiling. Rainbow pulled away from her, but not before grabbing her hand and pulling her off of the trunk. Fluttershy's knees were weak, so she stumbled. Rainbow tried to catch her, but the athlete only managed to grab her girlfriend around the shoulders before they both tumbled onto the grass.

Fluttershy rolled over to one side, and both broke out into a sleepy kind of laughter.

When their humor died down, Fluttershy scooted in to lay her head on Rainbow's shoulder. The tomboy automatically put an arm around her. Her eyes were on the sky.

"You… Okay?" Rainbow Dash asked, her voice barely above a murmur.

Fluttershy frowned softly. After a brief moment, she gave a small nod. "Yes."

"I didn't plan that."

"I know."

A pause.

Rainbow Dash put a hand under her head and crossed her ankles. She took a deep breath and said with an innocent expression, "For the record, that totally didn't count."

Fluttershy had to turn her face into Rainbow's neck just to stifle her giggles.

* * *

By the time they arrived at the animal shelter, Fluttershy was having trouble straightening her clothes, and Rainbow was feeling flushed and distracted, her lips still tingling from their latest makeout session. Or was it just a makeout session anymore? The athlete really had no idea what to call what had just happened. She was pretty sure the textbook definition for sex involved penetration of some sort. The pop culture definition was looser, but even _that_ seemed to require less clothing. Whatever the case, she was just happy Fluttershy didn't seem upset. The two had been swept up in the moment. Star Weld wasn't being snubbed. Not really.

It was also really exhilarating to know that just because Fluttershy wasn't ready to go all the way, didn't mean she wasn't willing to go _some_ of the way.

Despite her good mood, Rainbow grimaced as they started their volunteer work.

 _Note to self-next time you plan to dry hump to a finish, bring extra boxers!_

Aside from this discomfort, though, the tomboy found herself genuinely having fun. The dogs were cool to play with. The cats were happy to be pet. Fluttershy had even received permission to handle a ball python snake. She draped this over Rainbow's shoulders, and at the athlete's urging, took a photo.

A more harrowing moment came when Fluttershy dared to handle a rose hair tarantula, and she tried to give Rainbow Dash a turn to hold it.

"Rainbow, she's so beautiful! Are you sure you don't want to hold her for even a little bit?" Fluttershy approached the other girl with the spider outreached. "Rose tarantulas are very docile!" she sing-songed.

Rainbow stiffly hurried out of the insect room. "As if!"

Fluttershy met up with her later at the reptile room again, where tomboy glared sulkily at the ball python she'd taken a photo with.

"Rainbow-" the girl started gently.

"I wasn't afraid, all right!?" Rainbow snapped. She winced at Fluttershy's wounded look. "I mean- I just thought the thing was gross, that's all. I don't mind _looking_ at spiders, I just don't feel like getting all touchy feely with 'em."

Fluttershy nodded, her lips pursed in a reserved smile. "Okay." She pointed gingerly over her shoulder. "Um… But I was trying to ask you if it would be okay for us to take an animal in your car. I wanted to foster one at my house."

Rainbow blinked. "Oh!" She blushed and rubbed at her neck. "Um. Yeah. Sure. What animal were you taking? Is it big?" She winced. "Does it shed?"

The pre-vet shook her head eagerly. "Oh no! It's not big, and it doesn't shed."

"So what is it?"

"It's a tortoise."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "A tortoise? You're taking a tortoise home?"

Fluttershy smiled. "Yes!"

* * *

"No," Star Weld said flatly. Her brother blocked the doorway to their house like he was a gatekeeper. It was his day off, and yet the car grease still stuck to his hands stubbornly.

Fluttershy was near to tears. "But Star-!"

"No buts!"

"I don't understand! You let me keep Angel, didn't you?"

"Because he's your pet, and the little freak seems overly attached to you, that's why!" Star snapped.

Fluttershy gasped. "Don't call him that! You'll hurt his feelings!"

Star Weld ruffled his blue hair. "Feelings? _FEELINGS!?_ Fluttershy, Angel's _creepy!_ Like why does he have an opinion about what's on the television? Why does he bite me whenever I suggest he needs a bath?" His voice dropped lower, his eyes shifting side to side like he was afraid the neighbors would hear. "It's bad enough you have that weird _magic_ thing going on, but do you need to have the furry sidekick to go along with it? Did he get hit with a magical sparkle ray or something? I've always wanted to ask, but I was half afraid he'd poop in my bed if I did!"

The shy girl hunched her shoulders. This moved her hair back just enough that the man's eyes darted to her neck. "What is _that?_ "

Fluttershy slapped a hand to the place he pointed to, her body going still.

Rainbow Dash stiffened behind Fluttershy. She was standing on the path leading to the house with the tortoise balanced on her hip like a basketball. He'd retreated in his shell. She kind of wished she could do the same.

 _Crap, why did I leave such a big hickey on her neck!?_

"It's um-a _rash_ ," Fluttershy said with a noticeable tremor.

Star Weld's lip curled. "It looks kind of like-"

"It's a rash," Rainbow cut in. She fought to keep her face neutral as he looked at her. "Rarity made her wear some weird necklace that irritated her skin. It was gross."

The man scrunched his nose and looked at his sister, who nodded.

Just then, Angel scurried past Star Weld's legs to hop eagerly at Fluttershy's feet. She stooped down and picked him up without a pause. "T-to answer your earlier question... One theory I have for why Angel seems so smart is because he went through a… a _portal_ to Equestria once. It was very brief, b-but I think some of the magic made him more intelligent than ordinary bunnies."

Star Weld glared, "You could have told me that! All this time I just thought he was like...a _mutant_ or something!"

"He doesn't know about Spike?" Rainbow asked eagerly. _Gotta keep him distracted from that thing on her neck!_

Fluttershy gazed back at her, her eyes wide and her face pleading. The tomboy blinked in confusion. _Please don't bring up Spike,_ the pre-vet's face seemed to say.

Star looked between the two of them. "Spike? You mean Twilight's dog?"

Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut with visible suffering. Rainbow grimaced.

 _Oops._

Star Weld's mouth fell open, one hand holding his head. "Fluttershy! Aw man, _Sis!_ When I dog sat him last time I let him see me-I mean- _raaagh!_ " The man turned on the spot, his head hanging as his skin turned a bright pink.

Rainbow squinted one eye. "Do we even want to know?"

Fluttershy had covered her face with both hands. "Star Weld, _please_. This poor little tortoise has nowhere else to go!"

"Fluttershy, I am not taking care of another charity case! They always end up staying here indefinitely, and it's freaking expensive as all get out." Star said over his shoulder. "It was hard enough clearing the house of all those animals you fostered when you graduated high school, how do you think you'll get through college if you start that crap up again?"

"It's just one animal!" the girl pleaded.

"Sure. One turtle _now_ , but then-"

"Tortoise." Fluttershy interjected, the smallest hint of frustration eking into her voice. "He's a tortoise!"

Star Weld whirled around, his pink skin now turning a bright red. Fluttershy visibly wilted. Rainbow had to bite her lip to keep from grinning. She'd always known the older brother to get unbelievably annoyed when his little sister pointed out his ignorance about something in front of others. Animal facts were his bane.

"I don't care _what_ the hell it's called, you aren't keeping it here and that's final!" Star spat.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. There was no hope of telling Star Weld she was dating Fluttershy today. Better to end this before it got any weirder. "Geez, _guys_ , forget it, _I'll_ take the critter, okay? Can we get on with our lives now?"

Fluttershy turned and looked at Rainbow with surprise. "Y-you'll take him?"

"It. I'll take _it_. And yeah." The soccer player added with a smirk. "How hard can taking care of something this slow be?"

The animal lover approached her with a piercing stare. Irritatingly enough, Angel copied his owner in her arms, his long white ears pinned back. Rainbow Dash shrank away from them, her smirk wiping. She wasn't _quite_ getting The Stare, but if Fluttershy's signature look could be turned on by degrees, she was pretty sure she was getting fifty percent right about then. Meanwhile, Star Weld quietly shut the door behind his distracted sister. The athlete scowled when she spied the man mouth at her, _Thank you!_

"Rainbow Dash, please," Fluttershy said earnestly. "This is very serious! This tortoise was neglected. He needs to be seriously cared for. The shelter gave me eye drops to use once a day. His species are also voracious eaters. I'm afraid you'll either have to leave a lot of food for him, or take him with you to feed as you go."

Rainbow balked. "Just how much does this thing eat?"

" _He_ can eat quite a bit for his breed. He's still growing."

The tomboy looked down at the tortoise doubtfully. _Man, I dunno now…_

She looked back up at Fluttershy. Those big blue eyes. That quivering lower lip.

 _Aw, damn._

"Yeah. I'm serious. I'll take care of... _him_." Rainbow gave a weary thumbs up. "You can count on me, Shy."

Fluttershy squealed happily, giving Rainbow a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. Rainbow grimaced over her shoulder as Angel squealed his protest between them.

 _Me and my big mouth_.

* * *

"Rainbow Dash, why do you have a tortoise?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she met Rainbow at the parking lot. It was evening. They had coordinated to meet with Applejack near the location they intended to scout. Spike had been left in the care of Twilight's parents.

The tomboy looked down at the tortoise like a piece of gum she'd just stepped in. "Don't ask." She stooped down and plucked the creature up from the asphalt. She wrinkled her nose at her friend. "Why are _you_ dressed in all black?"

Twilight pouted and looked down at herself. She was wearing a plain black knit sweater, slim black leggings, and black penny loafers. She even had a black beanie on her purple hair. "We're going on surveillance," she mumbled. "I was trying to dress appropriately!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes and went around to the driver side of her car.

"Wait, are we taking that thing _with_ us?" Twilight asked as they started to enter the convertible.

Rainbow Dash grunted an affirmative as she placed the tortoise on the floor of the backseat of her car. There, a salad bowl from the nearby cafeteria was uncovered. It had large leaves of lettuce, sliced tomatoes, carrot shavings, cabbage shreds, and-

"Uh… Rainbow, you _do_ know that tortoises are herbivores, right?" Twilight commented as she gazed dubiously at the tortoise's meal.

"Yeah? So?" Rainbow started the car. She was a bit irritable for having to lug the tortoise to her captain's meeting-which she had been late for, thanks to Fluttershy's unforeseen dilemma. Sassaflash had teased her mercilessly.

"Awww! Rainbow, you finally found a pet that could keep up with you!" the vice captain cooed at the meeting.

Rainbow gazed at her teammate coolly as she leaned back in her chair. The tortoise was set on the floor in front of her. "Hey Sass, how did that super raunchy Dr. Bray rap song you like so much go again?" the tomboy asked. Sassaflash slouched in her seat and glared. Rainbow Dash propped her feet up on the tortoise's shell, her eyebrow arching. "That's what I thought..."

Back in the present, Rainbow could see Twilight look at her from the corner of her eye. "The salad is sprinkled with bacon bits," the bookish girl deadpanned.

Rainbow Dash screwed her mouth up. She shifted to reverse. "Oh give me a break! _Everyone_ loves bacon!" The car tires squealed on the asphalt as the car accelerated backwards, making Twilight yelp as she lurched forward in her seat.


	22. Chapter 21

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 21

She was waiting a block away from the spot Twilight had said they were going to "surveil". Sighing, Applejack pulled the brim of her stetson hat over her eyes and leaned back against her rust-colored truck. Her tired mind brewed like apple stew, hot and bubbling.

She had a research paper on pesticides due in two weeks. Granny Smith had a doctor's appointment coming up in the next few days. Applebloom's latest visit to the principal's office for the recent fight with Diamond Tiara still nettled AJ. She was lucky Principal Celestia was understanding of their situation, but she needed to finalize the guardianship process with Big Mac before Granny lost all her senses and the government spooks came to make their lives even _more_ complicated, and no doubt the contractors for the apple shipments would be calling in at _just that time_ with complaints, and-

The girl winced and reached for her back pocket where a small white carton had been smashed up against the car door.

 _I got a few minutes, right?_ She thought with a furtive glance up and down the street. She pulled a slim white cigarette from the carton, pinching it in a corner of her mouth, and produced a lighter from another pocket. _I don't need a lecture. Not from Twi. An' especially not from_ her _._ The flame highlighted her freckled scowl as she puffed on the cigarette, making its end burn bright.

Applejack had very nearly refused to come when her bookish friend mentioned Rainbow Dash was going to be there. She had so many things on her plate, and the entire idea had seemed so far fetched. _Surveillance? What in tarnation needs a pair o' college girls to sit and_ stare _at it?_ she had asked. Once it was revealed that the rainbow-headed braggart was involved, the strange request had suddenly made more sense. Twi was asking this favor on her behalf. It irritated Applejack that Rainbow couldn't ask for this herself, but then she had to admit grudgingly that, if she had, the cowgirl would certainly have denied to help. Lately, the two of them getting together was like putting a wet cat on a sleeping dog. Applejack disliked causing a stir.

 _It used to be so dang simple…_ she thought with a smoky sigh.

She switched her cigarette from her left to her right hand, gingerly handling the cancer stick with a grimace. She still didn't know how to hold the stupid things. She could recall Pa holding it loosely, and with confidence, between his middle and ring finger, but she found it hard to flick the cigarette to ash it that way without breaking the filter. So AJ pinched it between her thumb and index finger, hoping to heck that she didn't accidentally get ash on her jeans like last time. It was hard explaining to Applebloom why her laundry had these suspicious dark gray smudges on them. She still had to be a role model after all.

She was going to quit. She was. She'd barely started. What difference did it make? It was either this or drinking, and her brother had that vice hook, line, and sinker. _One_ of them had to have brain cells left. The farm was theirs to ruin now.

Applejack froze when she heard a car engine somewhere nearby. She wasn't in a deserted area or anything-there were plenty of businesses still open on this block alone-but she didn't want her bad habit to be discovered in case it was her friends.

With a quick flick, she got rid of the cigarette, the burning tip spiraling through the air before it burst and cooled on the asphalt of the street. Applejack exhaled the smoke she'd been holding in a powerful breath, one hand waving the telltale scent away. A car turned onto the road from the south, headlights illuminating everything. She squinted in the bright glow and went around to stand at the end of her truck bed as she fumbled for a stick of gum she'd been saving in her pocket.

The car pulled in closer. When it started to park across the street and the headlights were no longer blinding her, AJ could see that her instincts had been right. This was Rainbow's red convertible.

Crumpling up her gum wrapper in one hand and smacking her gum, she tilted her hat back with a pointed finger and sauntered across the street as her friends began to exit the car.

Twilight was dressed in all black and was smiling excitedly. Rainbow Dash had her "game face" on-that level stare and smooth-as-a-river-stone look she donned whenever she wanted to appear cool and capable. She stood with one foot on her seat as she leaned on the roof and the open car door.

Applejack just managed to keep from rolling her eyes as she stopped next to Twilight Sparkle.

"All right, gals. Ah'm here, but ah'm gonna need more'n just, 'Sunset is in trouble' if ya'll want me to take this serious." AJ said with hands on hips.

Twilight started to speak. "Well, you see, Applejack, as I was saying on the phone, it's kind of-"

"Sunset is doing business with thugs," Rainbow said, her brow tensing. "But she won't give us any details. I wanna make sure she isn't in over her head."

Twilight cut her a sour look. "Rainbow Dash, that's skewing things far too much. We don't _know_ if she's in danger, and we don't _know_ that she's doing business with criminals!"

"Oh yeah?" The soccer player returned with a tilt of an eyebrow. "Then why does she keep skulking around like she does?"

"We're only here to confirm or refute my theories! Not run around half-cocked!" Twilight shot back.

"Whatever," Rainbow muttered as she ducked down to reach for something in her car.

"Ah'll tell ya one thing," Applejack said with a stubborn pout of her lips. "I ain't planning on any kind of trouble tonight, so whatever it is you guys want to 'confirm or refute', ah'd sure appreciate being clued in while we sit on this place… An' that's _all_ I'm a-gonna do. _Sit_."

Rainbow straightened from the car, a surprised look on her face. It appeared as though she was holding something, but Applejack couldn't see what. "Huh? You mean you didn't bring Charlene?" the athlete asked.

Applejack made a face. "Heck no ah didn't bring 'er!"

Twilight blinked as she looked between them. "Charlene?"

"My huntin' rifle," AJ said as Rainbow groaned up at the night sky. "I call 'er Charlene."

Rainbow slammed her car door shut with one hand as she balanced whatever she was holding on her hip. "Well that's just great! Now if we get into trouble, we'll have no choice but to pony-up!"

Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Is that the only reason you wanted me to come along, Dash? My rifle?"

"It was pretty up there," Rainbow muttered as she finally came out from around her car. The cowgirl stared at what her friend was holding.

"What… in tarnation… is _that?_ " Applejack asked, her eyes widening.

Rainbow looked down at the turtle on her hip. "This? I'm watching it for Fluttershy."

AJ looked at her as if she were naked and whistlin' Dixie. "You brought a turtle?"

"Tortoise," Twilight corrected.

"You brought a _tortoise_ to this so-called 'surveillance'?" Applejack snapped, shooting the bookworm an annoyed look.

Rainbow Dash shrugged as she casually looked up and down the road whilst crossing it. She headed for the cowgirl's truck. "Yep!"

"H-hey! Where do ya think you're going? Ain't we usin' your car?" Applejack asked as she hurried after the tomboy, Twilight Sparkle quick on her heels.

"Nah. Your car is better. More inconspicuous," Rainbow said as she went around to the passenger side. She tugged on the door, but it was locked. "Come on. Open up. Let's get this going!"

Applejack could feel her face going red as she leaned on her hood. "Now wait just a goldarned minute! There ain't nothin' inconspicuous about my truck!" She jabbed a finger toward Rainbow. "You're just afraid that turtle is going to mess up your car while we sit around doin' nothin'!"

"First, it's a tortoise," Rainbow said, leaning around to peer at AJ from around the truck's carriage. "And two, so what if that's the reason? Your truck's old. My car's… Well it's still used, but at least it's _worth_ _something_."

" _What the hay did you just say to me!?_ " Applejack seethed as her hands clenched into fists on her hood. Her head whipped around to fix her irate gaze on Twilight, who wilted under the attention. "Did I hear this blowhard right?"

Twilight shuffled her feet. "Um…"

"What?" Rainbow asked, now stepping around to stand across from AJ next to the car hood. "I wasn't trying to be insulting or whatever! Geez, I mean… Didn't you get this truck from the dump and just fix it up?"

Applejack took a deep, deep breath in through her nose. She pulled off her hat and covered her face with it. Her shoulders and neck coiled up tight. _Just breathe, AJ. Breathe, girl…_

"Rainbow Dash," Twilight hissed. "This truck used to be Applejack's grandfather's! It's practically a family heirloom!"

A pause. "Oh," Applejack heard Rainbow say. The tomboy cleared her throat. "Well, uh… I'll pay for any messes the tortoise might make and stuff." Another pause. "Look, we already crossed the street, and I can't leave this thing alone. It's sick. Can we just get in the truck, please? This is getting awkward, and someone might see us."

Applejack didn't remove the hat from her face when she asked, "Twi, just how long are we gonna watch this place for?"

"Two or three hours, depending on what we see. Right, Rainbow?"

"Right!" Rainbow said with gusto.

The cowgirl leaned on the car hood and groaned. She'd need a whole new pack of cigarettes after this.

* * *

"Have you got any snacks?" Rainbow asked from the far end of the truck seat.

"No, I ain't got no snacks," Applejack muttered.

The athlete scowled and slouched in her seat, her arms hugging around the tortoise. It had retreated in its shell to sleep, she supposed.

They were parked outside of Tambelon with AJ behind the wheel, Twilight in the middle, and Rainbow next to the passenger door. As it turned out, the place they were spying on was your typical theme pub. It looked like something you'd find out in the European countryside, not an American city. But though it stuck out from the other businesses on the block, it was more for its anachronism then any loud sort of presence. The sign was simple: a rectangular wood cut thing with Olde English style writing and gilded letters. The front windows were wide, frosted and unlit, preventing any clear line of sight as to what was happening inside. The double doored entrance was solid and heavy, and was always kept closed. The most interesting thing they'd seen in the hour and a half they'd been sitting there was a heavily inebriated man get tossed out. Apart from that, only the occasional customer exited or entered the pub. Rainbow Dash craned her head, leaning over a complaining Twilight every time the door opened, hoping to see something. But like many bars, the interior was dimly lit.

To say this was boring would have been an understatement. This was downright _dullsville._

"So Applejack, how have you been?" Twilight asked out of the blue. Somehow, despite the lack of anything happening, she remained the most alert and chipper of them all. Even the tortoise seemed fed up with the lack of action.

The country girl looked at Twilight with sleepy surprise. Now that she thought about it… Rainbow thought her eyes looked a bit sunken in.

"Uh… Been all right. Ain't nothing too interestin' happened since we last saw each other. Just… y'know. School. Chores. That sorta thing." She rubbed at one eye as she leaned on her door's armrest. "What about you, Twi?"

Twilight grinned, apparently delighted that some kind of interaction was happening. "I've been good! Sunset and I started working on our project together. We're exploring how we can make contact with the bosonization method, and obtain an alternative proof for the equivalence between bosonic and fermionic Fock spaces." Her smile flared as she bounced in her seat.

Rainbow and Applejack stared at her. They briefly exchanged looks.

"That sounds… real interestin'?" AJ said with a scratch of her head. Then she added with what sounded like reluctance, "And you, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash fidgeted in her seat. She hated small talk. "Training and stuff mostly. The match with Griffonstone is next weekend."

"Oh."

 _Should I say it?_ Rainbow wondered as she drummed her fingers on the tortoise's shell. _It's good news, and I already told Twilight…_ The tomboy shrugged in her mind. _Sure, why not?_

"Fluttershy and me are gonna start dating," Rainbow said nonchalantly, her eyes casting out of the passenger window to the empty sidewalk. _Just dropping a bombshell. No biggie._

Nothing was said in reply. Not even by Twilight.

It wasn't so much the silence that took the tomboy by surprise, as it was the tension that immediately seemed to fill the truck's carriage.

She turned to look at her companions with a frown. Twilight had her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth bared like something fragile had just broken. Applejack was staring at her steering wheel, her face a blank mask.

"Is that so?" the country girl said finally, her lips barely moving.

Rainbow Dash blinked. "Um. Yeah? That's so. Is something wrong with that?" she asked in a genuinely confused tone.

Applejack puckered her lips and shook her head mechanically, her eyes still fixed on the steering wheel. "Nope. I'm happy for ya'll."

Now Rainbow's brow tensed. "You don't _sound_ happy."

"Well I am. Just got a lot on my mind, right now." Applejack opened the truck door, her hand reaching for something in her back pocket. "S'cuse me a sec. I think I need to stretch my legs." The blonde pulled her hat down over her eyes and stalked away, down the street. The item she had produced from her pocket was white, small, and squarish, but in the flurry of movement and the poor lighting of the street, Rainbow wasn't entirely sure what it was.

She stared after Applejack. "What's her problem?"

Twilight sighed and looked at Rainbow sidelong. "Rainbow… it's my fault. I should've told you to hold off on the news about you and Fluttershy."

The athlete turned a heated gaze on her. "Why?"

The bookworm bit her lip before answering. "Y-you see… Applejack. She, um…" Twilight winced and said in a rush, "She has feelings for Fluttershy!"

Rainbow Dash's face went slack. Her head whipped around to stare at her country friend, then turned back to face Twilight Sparkle. "AJ likes Fluttershy? As in _likes_ likes her?" _Applejack is into girls…!?_

Twilight nodded with a look of unease. She took off her glasses and began to wipe them with her sweater, her eyes focused on her task. Her chin seemed tucked in more than was necessary. "It's been a few years now…" she mumbled.

Rainbow's eyes widened. "And you knew the whole time?" her voice took on a note of betrayal.

Twilight looked up at her in alarm. "Well, yes! I did know! B-but I didn't think it was right to expose Applejack's feelings! It was the same kind of courtesy we tried to show Fluttershy about her crush on you!"

"Even if that's true, I still coulda used the heads up before you let me open my big fat mouth!" Rainbow snapped. Then a thought occurred to her, and she put her forehead on the tortoise's shell. "Aw man." Her shoulders tightened. "Geez!"

It all made sense now. The attitude. The distance. The constant criticism. Didn't Pinkie Pie tell her that all their friends knew about her and Fluttershy being inevitable?

Applejack was jealous.

Rainbow ground her teeth. _No wonder we haven't been getting along! While Fluttershy was crushing on me, AJ was stuck in the friendzone!_

She sighed and straightened, her hand slapping onto the passenger door handle. "That's it. We gotta talk this out."

Twilight grabbed her arm. "Woah! Okay, normally I would _absolutely_ be for that, but one: you just crushed all of AJ's hopes of ever having a chance with Shy. Two: we're on a stakeout! Aren't we supposed to be keeping a low profile? What's so subtle about two girls hashing out their relationship problems on a street corner?" The bookworm glanced at the tortoise and added wryly, " _With_ a reptile?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Then we're calling this thing off! We've been here forever, and _nothing_ has happened! Either we go inside the bar, or we leave. Otherwise, there's something I can _actually_ do with what's left of the night!" The athlete then promptly hopped out of the truck and shut the door in Twilight's scared face.

"R-Rainbow! Rainbow Dash, wait!" the other girl exclaimed as she tumbled out of the truck through the same door.

The tomboy marched after Applejack, tortoise on hip. The blonde was almost to the street corner. "Hey! AJ! We gotta talk!" Applejack looked back as if startled, and Rainbow's eyes went wide at what was pinched in her mouth. "You're _smoking_ now!?"

The country girl drew hard on the cigarette, then ripped it out of her mouth with a harsh breath. "Aw, geez, here we go!" she grumbled.

Rainbow Dash's lip curled as she jogged to her old friend's side. "Applejack what the heck, dude? Does your family know about this?"

A groan and another puff. Applejack refused to look at the sporty girl again. "Geez, Dashie, it's just a cigarette! S'not like I shaved my head and changed my name!"

"I'm serious!" Rainbow pressed obstinately. "This isn't like you!"

They reached the street corner. Applejack stopped and turned to look Rainbow dead in the eye. "Not like me? _Not like me?_ " She pulled hard on her cigarette, her cheeks sucked in, the tip glowing an angry orange that lit up her green eyes. When she exhaled, the smoke streamed toward the tomboy like a dragon's noxious breath. Rainbow Dash grimaced and tried to wave the smoke away, but jerked in surprise when AJ suddenly broke through the webbed cloud, her face harder than the girl could ever recall it ever being.

"Lemme ask you something, Rainbow Dash," Applejack hissed. She jabbed a finger into her chest. "What do you know about me? Huh? What version o' me have you got in your noggin' that ah'm apparently betrayin' so atrociously?" She spread her arms wide and backed into the golden glow of the street light. "Is it the one where ah bust my back for those ah love but find no peace for it? Granny Smith mind's still turnin' into applesauce. Applebloom can't seem to stay out of trouble for more'n a minute. Big Mac ain't got no mind for the money end o' the family business, 'specially not with him _drinkin_ ' all the time, so that leaves most o' the paperwork to _me_. And now..." Applejack pinched her mouth closed and turned away.

Rainbow set the tortoise down on the sidewalk and crossed her arms. "Now what? Now I'm dating your crush? Is it really that bad?"

The tomboy could see, even in the warm lighting, how Applejack paled. She glared over Rainbow's shoulder. "You _told?_ "

Rainbow Dash turned to see Twilight behind her. The bookworm was hugging herself, her eyes wide behind her glasses. "Applejack, I had to! I couldn't keep it a secret anymore! Not when-"

Applejack threw the cigarette down on the sidewalk and stomped on it, yelling, "That weren't your business to tell, Twilight Sparkle!"

Rainbow instinctively placed herself between the shrinking Twi and the furious AJ. "Cool it, Applejack! Twi was just trying to be a good friend!"

AJ scoffed. "Good friend… Rainbow, you tell me honestly how bein' good friends means kickin' out your pal's secrets o' the past when you haven't even been around t'hear the things ailin' their hearts in the present? Hmm? What's so _good_ 'bout that?" She started to pace, her boots clicking sharply on the concrete as she hooked her thumbs into her front pockets. "As a matter o' fact, you wanna tell me how you managed to trick Fluttershy into bein' your new sweetheart when you been treatin' her like horse manure for the last year or so?"

"I didn't treat her that bad! I just didn't know how to respond to her sappy goo-goo eyes freshman year!" Rainbow Dash shot back defensively. Then her nostrils flared and she took a step forward. "And what do you mean, 'trick'? I didn't trick Shy into anything! She _wanted_ to be with me!" The tomboy willfully ignored the unpleasant squirming in her gut as she said this…

Twilight appeared at their sides, her trembling hands held up. "Uh… g-girls?"

"Yeah. Like all your _other_ girlfriends wanted to be with you," Applejack mumbled.

Rainbow Dash's eyes snapped wide and she clenched her fists. "It's not my fault Fluttershy isn't into _country hicks!_ "

AJ just chuckled blackly at the barb. "Dash, I bet you make her cry a'fore the week is through. I give you _two_ weeks, tops, before you break her heart _en-tirely._ "

Twilight took a small step forward, her hands waving. "Woah, woah! Okay, let's just-"

"That's rich, coming from someone who was too afraid to even come out of the closet to begin with! What's the matter, AJ? Couldn't even ask Shy to a hoedown?" Rainbow jeered.

Applejack took off her hat and gestured agitatedly at the athlete with it. "See _that's_ what really gets under my skin about you, Rainbow. Ya think I didn't wanna tell her? You think I didn't have the _guts_ to? Well when your friend comes to you looking for comfort, if ya care about a person, the last thing ya wanna do is make 'em feel like they can't relax around ya. Can ya say that? When's the last time Fluttershy came to cry on _your_ shoulder? When's the last time she needed help and she called _you_ first? And ex- _cuse me_ if I actually stop to think about what coming out would do to my family when all the people we do business with are conservatives who think two girls together is about as great as sin on a _baby!_ " AJ pulled a look of mock surprise and covered her mouth. "Oops! That's right! Rainbow only cares about herself!" The cowgirl's look darkened as she gave a disgusted snort. "Just like your daddy…"

Rainbow Dash literally snarled, her hands reaching out like claws as she launched forward to grab Applejack by the front of her shirt. Twilight Sparkle just managed to jump in front of her, making them bump.

"Rainbow, Rainbow _don't!_ " Twilight squeaked as she caught her balance.

"Bring up my dad one more time, AJ, and you're gonna be tasting the street!" the tomboy yelled over Twilight's shoulder.

Applejack smirked at her coolly, arms crossed. "Rainbow, a tussle 'tween you and me would be over quicker'n a knife fight in a phone booth…"

Rainbow started to rip off her jean jacket. "All right, hotshot. Let's see how much of a favor those cigs have done for you when I wreck you ten different ways!"

Twilight looked between them with panic writ across her face. "Girls, _please!_ We shouldn't do this! Not just because fighting is wrong, but also because _we're totally in a bad place to do it anyway!_ "

Applejack tossed her hat to Twilight and unbuttoned her plaid shirt's cufflinks. With sharp, assertive tugs, she began to roll up her sleeves. "Nothin' doin', Twi," she said with a thin mouth. "Rainbow wants something? It's gotta happen her way on account o' she's selfish. Now I gotta show 'er that you should be careful what you wish for!"

Rainbow Dash tossed her jacket onto the tortoise, who had peeked his head out of his shell to blink drowsily at them. "It's not me who's gonna regret this, Applejack!"

"Yeah? We'll see."

Twilight's head was snapping back and forth with her distress. She stopped abruptly when her eyes halted on something across the intersection. Her face tensed. "Uh… Girls?"

"Y'know, it's not gonna be like those fake martial arts fights we used to do back in the day," Rainbow warned Applejack. She started to stretch out her legs.

AJ rolled her shoulders, then began to stretch her arms. "Wouldn't expect it t'be," she grunted.

Twilight blindly began reaching for Rainbow Dash, her eyes still focused on whatever it was across the street. "Girls? I think maybe-"

"Lemme guess. No hits to the face? On account o' that would bruise it all up for your 'adorin' fans on campus?" Applejack said with a dry chuckle.

"Yak it up, Cancerjack. You're gonna regret the day you decided to tango with a star athlete!"

"Oh _puh-lease-!_ "

" _GIRLS!_ " Twilight shouted. Before they could object to the interruption, she pointed excitedly across the intersection. "Look!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes but did as she was told. There were two people on a street corner. A man and a woman, by the looks of it. The woman had dark hair and dark clothes with her back to them. The man, dressed in a simple gray suit, had his arms around her waist. The tomboy squinted her eyes, her mind not registering what was so remarkable about them. They weren't close to a streetlight, so their features weren't easy to pick out. "Twi, what-?" Her lips stilled as the woman turned around and the man slumped to the sidewalk on his knees. His companion turned to see his vacant smile over her shoulder, her melodic voice floating across the street:

"Now don't you feel better, darling? Why trouble yourself with such brutish behavior when you can live so much more splendidly instead?"

Applejack and Rainbow said the name at the same time.

"Rarity!?"

The fashionista turned toward them. She stepped closer to the street corner, moving under the glow of a street light, and Rainbow Dash could see that it was indeed their trendy friend. Just like the previous night, she was dressed in a modern but functional outfit. She waved at the stunned trio merrily, as if they'd just run into each other at one of her _soirees_.

"Why hello there! Fancy seeing you girls here!" she greeted.

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle looked at each other before crossing the street to their mutual friend.

"Sugarcube, what in the hay are _you_ doin' here at this time o' night?" Applejack asked Rarity.

She received a giggle in response. "I could ask you the same thing, dear!" Rares put her hands on her hips and looked at them all, completely unconcerned about the strange man still on his knees behind her with a vacant smile on his face. "Are you three simply enjoying the nightlife this fine Saturday night?"

Twilight Sparkle approached the stranger. "Rarity, what did you _do_ to this man? His… his eyes are _glowing!_ "

Rainbow Dash looked from Twilight to Rarity in surprise. "Woah, what? Rares, you used magic? Why would you do that?"

"Magic?" Rarity's smile turned a little bemused as she glanced at the man. "On _him?_ " The fashionista began to giggle, a fast and high sound that made Rainbow's hairs stand on end. Something wasn't right here…

Rarity delicately wiped at one eye and managed to titter, "Goodness me, what a _ridiculous_ notion! I didn't use magic!"

Twilight sighed with what seemed relief. "Oh! Good… So what happened, then?"

The fashionista's smile widened and her eyes flared a bright blue from her inner power. Rainbow's heart went cold.

"Why, I just gave the poor dear what he'd been yearning for…" Rarity said with chilling serenity.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Uh…" she looked sidelong at her companions.

Twilight's mouth was open in horror. Applejack whistled and crammed her hat back onto her head. "Ladies n' gentlemen, I believe the train has left the station."

"Hey! Flatfoot!" said a loud male voice.

The girls jumped and looked further up the street to see two men approaching them. They were large and burly, dressed in suits like their apparent friend, but not immaculately. As they neared, they began to slow down, one man putting an arm on his companion like he sensed something was off. "Flatfoot?"

The stranger behind Rarity gurgled and slumped over.

Twilight Sparkle whimpered as she backed away. "This isn't good!"

Rainbow Dash grabbed a still smiling Rarity and began to pull her along as they all backed up into the street. "Ya think!?" she snapped.

The two men hurried to their friend. While one checked his vitals, the other glared at them. "What did you do to him!?"

"Nothing!" Twilight laughed nervously. "H-he was like that when we found him!"

Rarity turned to frown at her. "He most certainly was not!"

Rainbow jerked the fashionista's arm hard. "Not… helping!" she hissed at her friend.

The approaching man's face darkened as he began to reach into his coat. "You four better start talkin', or there's gonna be hell to pay!"

"We don't want no quarrel, mister," Applejack said with hands raised. "Ah'm sure your friend's just fine!"

"The _fuck_ he is!" the man shouted.

Twilight swallowed loudly. "Girls, I think there's only one thing we can do…"

The large stranger sneered at her. "Smart kid."

The bookworm turned on her heel and fled across the street toward AJ's truck. " _Run!_ " she screamed.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash followed, with the latter pulling an objecting Rarity behind her.

"H- _hey!_ " The tomboy heard the thug give chase.

She bared her teeth in frustration. _If Rarity wasn't daffy, and Twilight wasn't such a chicken, we could totally take these goons!_

"Oof!"

Halfway down the sidewalk toward the truck, Rainbow looked back to see the thug had tripped over something. Her eyes bugged out.

She had left the reptile on the street corner, still under her jean jacket… and the man had just fallen over it, face planting into the sidewalk.

"Crap! I forgot the tortoise!" She skidded to a halt and shouted to AJ, "Applejack, take Rarity! I gotta get that critter!"

Applejack stumbled to a halt, her eyes incredulous. "Say _what-?_ "

"Just do it!" Rainbow Dash shoved Rarity toward the farm girl.

The fashionista gasped with insult. "Oh! How rude!"

Applejack rolled her eyes and grabbed Rarity's elbow, pulling her along. "Yeah, yeah! Git along, you!"

Sweat began to bead on Rainbow's as she charged back the way she had come. For one wild sec she had considered ponying up, but her wings would do her no favors here. Not really. They had already exposed themselves enough already, the last thing they needed was to reveal their magic on top of it all. If it hadn't been revealed already...

Rainbow Dash reached the tortoise ( _Hey, wasn't he further from the curb than this?_ ) just as the man stirred from his painful stupor on the ground.

 _Whoops. Can't have that, can we?_

Pulling back a foot, Rainbow kicked him in the head with a good crack-not in such a way as to actually break anything, but certainly hard enough to put him out for a good few minutes. With him unconscious, she was able to roll him over and snatch up her jacket and the tortoise in one go. The reptile had retreated into his shell when the man tripped over him, but he peeked his head out to gaze up at Rainbow Dash with his dark little eyes.

"You all right buddy?" she asked breathlessly.

There was a loud crack.

The athlete flinched, her heart doing a somersault in her chest as she instinctively ducked. The thug that had stayed with 'Flatfoot' across the street had pulled out a gun and was firing at her.

"Crap, crap, crap!" she rasped as she tucked the tortoise under her arm and ran for AJ's truck. The vehicle was running, the others having crammed inside. Applejack was thumping the back of the seat, her face panicked and her hat askew as she looked at Rainbow through the back window.

"Come on, Dashie! _Come on!_ " the farm girl yelled.

The doors to Tambelon burst open. Rainbow was aware that more people had emerged from the pub, but she didn't pause to see who. She all but dove into the bed of the truck, and while laying low, pounded on the rear window. "Go, go!" she screamed hoarsely.

Another gunshot. It pinged off the truck's steel body as Applejack slammed on the gas, tires squealing.

They peeled out of the street with angry voices chasing after them in the night breeze.


	23. Chapter 22

What They Expect to Give by NineCaliber

* * *

Chapter 22

Rainbow Dash was vaguely aware of the fact that Applejack was speeding, and she tried to keep her grip on the tortoise as the truck sailed down the road, away from _Tambelon_. She grunted as they banked hard on a curved street, elbows scraping on the rusty truck bed, before the vehicle straightened out with a creak of its heavy body. Scowling, Rainbow slammed a hand on the rear window and shouted, "Yo! I think we lost 'em!"

Over the roar of the diesel engine, Applejack shouted something at Twilight, who scrambled to slide the rear window open. Through the opening, AJ hollered, "I'm takin' these girls home first! We'll have ta swing back for yer car later, Dash!"

Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. "Fine!" she answered loudly. "But can you stop so that _I_ can get inside, instead of sliding around your truck bed with this critter like spare parts?"

Applejack frowned in the rear view mirror, first to check the road, then to meet Rainbow's eyes. "Gimme a sec!" she shouted.

A few minutes later, Applejack pulled over her truck in a completely different part of town: a quiet, upscale residential neighborhood. Rainbow vaguely recognized the street as being one of the ways AJ favored to get to the route to the countryside where she lived. The detour nettled Rainbow Dash, because it put them squarely on the opposite side of town from where Twi and Rares needed to go. As she forced the crackling irritation under control, she was able to admit, grudgingly, that if she were driving in a panic, she might have gone the way of the school. Or even her dad's, which really wouldn't have been all that much better. Familiarity was safe. But as Rainbow hopped out of the truck, she was surprised to see the others spill out as well.

Applejack was muttering fast to herself, her hands patting her pockets for her cigarettes. When she pulled the carton out, she opened it and yelled, throwing it crumpled out onto the street. " _Crap!_ " she all but snarled. Few of their friends made such powerful use of the light curse words Rainbow Dash had negotiated Pinkie for like AJ. She tended not to make as frequent use of it as Rainbow Dash, but when she did, it was like the cowgirl was wishing you to be turned inside out, raw flesh salted, then your body hooked and used as bait to fish for sea monsters. Not only that, but for the same fate to be visited upon the next two generations of your family. _And_ your dog.

Twilight, who had slipped out of the truck shortly after Applejack, nervously adjusted her glasses and asked, "What's wrong?"

Rainbow Dash snorted as she balanced the tortoise on her hip. "She ran out of cigarettes."

Twilight grimaced. "Oh." She leaned in to Rainbow Dash and muttered, "That surprised you too, right? AJ smoking?"

"Of course it did!" Rainbow hissed back. She didn't really bother to keep her voice low. In fact, she said next, "I bet if she wasn't a smoker, she'd have driven us somewhere less _pointless_."

Applejack put her hands high on her hips and tapped a boot on the asphalt, glaring at Rainbow over her truck bed. "Pointless, huh? _Pointless?_ Ah dunno if ya noticed, Dashie, but I saved our hides back there from bein' turned into swiss cheese!"

"We could have taken 'em if _some_ people had stiffer spines," Rainbow said with a disdainful sniff.

Twilight crossed her arms and glared at her. "Hey!"

There was a groan from the truck. All heads turned to see Rarity tumble out of the passenger side, her eyes unfocused and her expression one of slack confusion. "Girls?"

"Rares!" Twilight rushed to hug Rarity as she slumped against the side Applejack's truck. "Careful, careful! You don't look so good."

Applejack snorted as she and Rainbow stepped up onto the sidewalk to stand next to the other pair. "That ain't the half of it! What in tarnation were you thinking magicking a guy like that, Rarity?"

Rarity put the back of her wrist to her brow, her eyes fluttering. "I… I apologize, Applejack, but I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about!"

If Rainbow Dash hadn't known her for so long, she would've thought it was a complete act. But the pale skin, the sheen of sweat, the slight tremble of that glossed lip… No. Rarity wasn't faking. She was _really_ out of sorts.

"Twilight Sparkle, I don't suppose you can enlighten me as to how I came to be in Applejack's truck?" Rarity asked wispily.

"Y-you don't remember?" Twilight asked.

A meek headshake from the fashionista elicited a collective groan from the others.

"You were _sleepwalking?_ " Rainbow Dash snapped.

Rarity looked them all as if she'd just been told she'd have to wear bell bottoms with platform shoes. "I s-suppose so?" she said, one hand anxiously touching her throat while the other hugged tight around her stomach.

Applejack pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is serious, ya'll."

Twilight placed her hands at either side of her face as it took on a worried, but pensive frown. "She wasn't just sleepwalking, she was using magic _while_ sleepwalking." She chewed her lip, then said with closed eyes and a heavy sigh. "We have to tell Sunset."

Rainbow's eyes popped wide and she quickly looked to Applejack to see if this sentiment was shared. To her dismay, AJ nodded. "Yep. I reckon you're right, Twi."

"Woah, woah, _woah_ ," Rainbow said with a dramatic wave of her arms. She made a timeout signal with her hands. "Let's call time for a second. Do you guys hear yourselves? _Tell Sunset Shimmer?_ If you two don't remember, we came out here to, like, _spy_ on her and stuff!"

Twilight folded her arms and pursed her lips. "This supersedes everything, Rainbow Dash! Rarity could have seriously been hurt. Or maybe hurt someone else!"

Rainbow ground her teeth, feeling a familiar conflict of interests. Spoil the plan to try and protect Sunset Shimmer, and potentially earn her disapproval? Or risk losing Rarity to… _whatever_ was happening to her.

Rainbow knew what her answer was.

She groaned and rubbed her forehead with one hand, "Fine, _fine!_ We'll tell Sun about Rarity."

" _And_ about this cockamamie scheme of yours," Applejack added sharply.

Rainbow Dash glared from beneath her raised hand. "Sure. The 'scheme' you agreed to help with!"

The country girl just shrugged and turned her head. "I can own up to what need's ownin' up to."

Rainbow spat onto the sidewalk, eliciting a disapproving tsk from Rarity. "Geez," she muttered.

When they all returned to the truck, it was a tight squeeze, but they managed. Barely. Rainbow Dash practically had to hold the tortoise under her chin as she pressed hard into the passenger door. Rarity was just about on Twilight's lap. The drive was spent in silence.

Twilight Sparkle's home was first, and she hugged Rarity hard, her eyes shining with worry and her mouth gushing about how, "They would get to the bottom of what was wrong!"

When it was just Rainbow, Rarity, and AJ, the ride became less physically uncomfortable, but still that cloud of ill feeling lingered.

Rainbow Dash wasn't sure she could sit with her mouth shut anymore. She turned to Rarity and said, "Rares, do you think you can sleep tonight? Pinkie Pie is back at the sorority house, right?"

Rarity seemed surprised by the question and blinked owlishly at Rainbow. "Er, yes? I believe sleep is well within possibility tonight." She puckered her lips and looked down at her lap, where her fingers toyed with one another. "Pinkie has indeed returned."

"Did you guys… talk?" Rainbow fidgeted in her seat, her fingers drumming on the tortoise's shell.

Rarity stared ahead, her hands clenching. "No. I'm afraid not."

Applejack glanced at her as she made a turn. "You two having some kinda fight?"

They were nearly to the sorority house. Rainbow was starting to recognize the street.

Rarity sighed. "Not a fight."

"Then what?" AJ asked.

"Pinkie went AWOL for a few days and left Rarity to deal with their sorority party by herself," Rainbow answered. "She wouldn't tell me what was going on with her either."

Applejack whistled. "Seems like everybody's got somethin' going on, huh?"

"Yep." Rainbow Dash slouched in her chair. "I just wonder when the heck we all decided to keep secrets from each other." She glanced over at her friends to see Rarity and Applejack do the same.

Nothing more was said until the truck pulled in front of the sorority house. Rainbow exited first to let Rarity out. As the haggard fashionista passed her, the athlete caught her wrist and said with a mixture of worry and frustration, "Get some rest. Okay? _Seriously!"_

Rarity answered with a pursed smile and a small nod.

Rainbow didn't get back into the truck until she saw Rarity enter the sorority house and shut the door behind her. Then with a deep breath, she climbed back into truck carriage. Applejack wordlessly put the truck into gear and made a U-turn, back in the direction of campus.

Rainbow peered at her friend sideways. Or were they even still friends? Sure they'd bickered before, but ever since they'd recovered from the trick the then-nasty Sunset Shimmer had pulled on their group, they'd practically been thick as thieves. Now that time seemed so long ago, the rift that had split between them widened not by evil meddling, but of their own inaction.

 _It feels wrong. It feels like we're giving up,_ Rainbow thought with a frown.

"It just happened, y'know," Rainbow started.

"Ah don' wanna talk about that right now," Applejack cut her off before she could say anything else.

Rainbow closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the rear window. "AJ…"

"I'm droppin' ya off and that's it."

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash looked at her friend with a weary glare. "Well tough nuggets, man! I'm not content to just throw away years of friendship with you over something like this!"

Applejack braked at a stop sign-harder than necessary judging by the way the seatbelt bit into Rainbow's shoulder-and cut a look so searing that the tomboy wondered if she was going to lose a tooth if she opened her mouth again.

She did it anyway, because she was _Rainbow Dash_ and damn it, this was her _friend._

"Fluttershy is helping me with a psych project that could decide whether or not I can even keep attending school!" Rainbow said, her heart hammering as AJ's green eyes bore into hers. "All of a sudden we were spending a ton of time together. It… Applejack, dude..." She looked away, unable to hold her friend's intense stare. "I wasn't even supposed to feel anything for her, man. That wasn't the plan."

A car honked behind them. Applejack accelerated again, heavy on the gas pedal so that the wheels squealed. They passed through two more stoplights before Rainbow was startled with-

"You ain't never s'posed to plan for it," Applejack said. Her hands wrung her steering wheel and she kept swallowing.

Rainbow nodded jerkily. "Y-Yeah. I guess that's true." She tried to will away the vague nausea cloying up her throat as she remembered her father's arm over her shoulders and his gaze of pride for their callous scheme.

 _AJ would kill me if she found out what I almost tried to do._

This was followed swiftly with-

 _She'd totes be right to do it too._

Applejack had said she could own up to what needed owning up to. Could Rainbow Dash do the same? She and Fluttershy had barely started dating. Just thinking of the shattered look on Fluttershy's face if Rainbow said it… The nausea intensified.

 _What does it matter anymore?_ Rainbow thought anxiously. _That stupid plan is dead!_

"I don't wanna hurt her Applejack," Rainbow said hoarsely.

They turned down a new street and the brightly lit campus swung into view.

"I know," Applejack sighed with a grimace and a glance.

Silence. The white lights of the campus streets started to wash over them in passing waves.

When they pulled into the parking lot for the student dorms, Applejack pulled to a stop. Rainbow didn't open the door. She rubbed the back of her neck and said, "I'm sorry I called you a country hick. And being a coward. And… y'know, all the other things I said. That wasn't cool."

Applejack looked at her, her eyes tensing as if she hadn't expected that. She adjusted the hat on her head and sat up a little higher. "I'm sorry I said what I did about you and your dad. Ain't no secret I dislike the man, but you're nothing like 'im." She pursed her lips and tapped a finger on the bottom of her steering wheel. "And I'm sorry I said you and Shy wouldn't last. That's… I ain't trying to wish ill on you two."

Rainbow exhaled hard through her nose. She reached down and picked up the tortoise again. "It's not like the thought hasn't crossed my mind…"

"Hey," Applejack gripped Rainbow's tense shoulder and gave her a loose shake. "Just remember you ain't gotta turn into a fruitcake to be sweet. Shy likes you just as you are. If you really like her, then just meet the girl halfway. Take a breath. _Slow down_ every once in a while."

"And what about you?" Rainbow asked, frowning. "You gonna quit smoking?"

The cowgirl flinched and pulled away. "Aw, Dashie-"

"I mean it! AJ, if you're stressed about stuff you can talk to us! Heck we could even help!"

Applejack looked at her with a squinted eye. "Help? Help with what? The _farmwork?_ Rainbow, you know ain't nobody got time for that."

"I'll make time," Rainbow argued stubbornly. She threw her hands up. "Next Saturday even! I can come over and do stuff!"

"Saturday?" Now AJ looked at her as though her head had turned into an apple. "Rainbow Dash, ain't Sunday when your team faces Griffonstone?"

"So?"

" _So_ , that's the game that decides who even goes on to the championships!" Applejack gestured toward the campus. "The whole school will be there! Ain't you gotta prepare?"

Rainbow waved these objections away. "I just have the captain's meeting Saturday! After that I can come right over!"

Applejack tilted her hat back with a finger and narrowed her eyes. "Rainbow you ain't doing this outta pity, are you?"

This actually made the tomboy laugh. " _Heck_ no! AJ, if I pitied you, I'd-" _break up with Fluttershy._ But the words were swiftly replaced with, "-try to hook you up with someone!" She froze, her pink rose eyes going wide. "Oh hey, actually, there's this girl in my English class that-"

" _Bye,_ Rainbow." Applejack slouched in her seat, pulling her hat low over her reddening face.

Rainbow Dash shrugged as she opened the passenger door, the tortoise already balanced on her hip. _It was worth a shot!_

"See ya next Saturday?" she asked.

Applejack glanced at Rainbow just as she slid out. "Yeah, yeah… All right."

Rainbow grinned. "Cool."

Just as she was about to shut the door, however, Applejack leaned over and said, "Mind you keep what you learned tonight t'ween us, y'hear?" Her mouth screwed up and she swallowed hard. "Especially… especially with _her._ "

Rainbow's eyebrows rose. _That's right… Applejack is still in the closet. And somehow, Fluttershy has no idea about her feelings._ Would she have said anything without the warning? Rainbow wasn't sure. She'd grown so accustomed to living in an open world where she seldom faced criticism for her orientation. But Applejack… she lived in the country, not in the city proper, and all of her business partners were traditional. It was completely different for her.

She was certain she wouldn't have breathed a word to Fluttershy about their mutual friend's hidden crush, however. As sorry as she felt for Applejack's feelings, she couldn't quite squash the muted jealousy at the thought of her new girlfriend possibly entertaining thoughts like, _What if?_

Rainbow Dash gave a thumbs up and what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Hey, no prob AJ. Mum's the word."


	24. Chapter 23

Rainbow Dash was happy to lose consciousness for a few hours-and that's all she would get, too. Her adventure Saturday night with the others had managed to squeak into the wee hours. By the time she reached her dorm room, she felt dead on her feet. She barely managed to tend to the tortoise. Of course, the idea of letting down Fluttershy motivated Rainbow enough to rip open a pre-made salad bowl Sunset had been saving in their mini-fridge ( _I'll pay her back later_ ) along with a plastic container filled with water.

The tortoise eyed its meal-an average garden salad-its crusty swollen eyes blinking.

"Eat up lil' dude," Rainbow yawned. She kicked off her sneakers and collapsed onto her covers, her eyes already shut. "S'gonna be a busy day tomorrow."

When morning came, it was ushered in by the sharp bleats of her alarm, the sound scything into her eardrums. Rainbow tried to ignore it at first. Surely it was mistaken. She felt like she'd _just_ shut her eyes.

But when the alarm didn't realize its error, the tomboy was forced to reach over and turn it off with a slam of her palm. Glaring, she eyed the clock face. She groaned.

Family practice day. An uneasy heaviness settled into her throat just as her eyes burned with needy exhaustion. Any other day and she would have been more than fine with performing in front of a crowd. But she was exhausted. Fluttershy being there was perhaps the one thing that she truly looked forward to, but even that had a double-edge to it. She'd hate to perform poorly in front of her new girlfriend.

What _really_ weighed on her above all else was that Blaze could show up… in fact, he likely would, given the week's recent events.

Rainbow forced herself to sit up, her body sluggish. When she looked over toward the end of the bed, it was to find that the tortoise had eaten much of the salad, and there was a noticeable damp spot in the carpet next to the water container-the water line lower by at least half. The tortoise was nowhere to be found.

With a big yawn, Rainbow rose to her feet and moved to stand next to the salad bowl. The reptile wasn't behind her bed's footboard. Frowning now, she got down on hands and knees and peered into the dark under her bed. Still nothing. From the looks of things, the critter wouldn't have fit anyway.

Concern chased much of the remaining sleep away as Rainbow Dash straightened and stared wide-eyed around her room. "Where'd that darn thing go?" That's when she noticed her study desk chair had been moved.

Rainbow stood and went to her desk. Yes. The chair had definitely been moved aside. Given this part of the dorm room's perpetual stasis, this change could mean only one thing.

The girl pulled the chair out all the way and knelt down. Sure enough, in the dark under her desk was the tortoise. It'd retreated into its shell. Pursing her lips, Rainbow reached for it and carefully lifted it up into the small shaft of early morning light that managed to slip by the room's curtains.

"Lil' dude?" she said. Then her eyes caught something on its shell. Something that hadn't been there before.

Frowning, she turned the reptile onto its side, and her breath caught.

On the tortoise's bumpy exterior, there was an unmistakable knick. It was perhaps an inch and a half long and a few centimeters deep, but it stood out to her because that side of the shell had been the one she'd been holding the most whenever she balanced the creature on her hip. As she ran her fingers over the knick, she knew for certain that it hadn't been there before.

Her bewilderment over this discovery was short-lived.

"A bullet grazed you!" she exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash's first feeling was of pity. The darn critter hadn't _asked_ to be caught up in her little adventure, and by sheer luck, it had managed to escape serious injury.

The reptile slowly-oh so slowly-peeked its head from its shell and blinked its crusty eyes at her.

"Hey… Mornin' lil' buddy," Rainbow breathed at it. "Sorry about your shell. You okay?"

A slow blink. Then-and she wasn't sure if she imagined it-but did the tortoise just _nod_ at her?

She looked at the chair. "You must've been spooked after last night if you bothered to push that chair to hide under my desk. It's pretty heavy. And over carpet too!" She grinned at the tortoise. "You're pretty tough!"

The tortoise didn't seem to have a response to this. It's little black eyes just continued to hold her in their steady gaze.

"I've got practice today. I could leave you here but maybe you'd be more comfortable down at the field? Then you can eat grass… or something." She shrugged. "Or you could stay with Fluttershy. She's coming today, apparently." She sighed, suddenly agitated. "Let's put on those eye drops she gave me for you, then I'll get ready and we'll head out, all right?" Then a thought occurred to her and her eyes went wide. "Oh, actually, there's something I wanna get done before practice!"

Thirty minutes later, she was showered and dressed with her hastily gathered gear slung over her shoulder in a duffel bag. A hasty call was placed to a taxi service at the start, and now that she was ready, she had received a text alert that her driver was waiting. As much as she wanted to get her car back from downtown, she needed to do something more important, and that left her very little time. She'd go do her errand, then it was straight to practice. Retrieving her classic awesomobile was going to have to wait.

She stooped down to pick up the tortoise, who had apparently been finishing up its salad this whole time.

Breathlessly, she said, "Let's go, lil' dude!"

It was cutting it close, but Rainbow found this to be too important to settle with a phone call, especially given the misinformation that had been doled out in the past few days. She needed to see this with her eyes. Action always soothed her more than idleness anyway.

So some ten minutes later, Rainbow Dash found herself outside the Delta Alpha Kappa sorority house. With a few assertive knocks and a single long ring of the doorbell for good measure, she only had to wait a minute before someone answered the door. She was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Pinkie Pie.

"Heya Dashie!" Pinkie chirped with a wide smile. She was still in her pink cupcake-patterned PJs but judging by the syrup on her chin, Rainbow had interrupted an early breakfast.

"Sup Pinks. Hope I'm not botherin' ya?" The soccer player asked with an awkward shuffle of her feet. This was, essentially, a welfare check for a certain fashionista, and that meant she was not a little concerned. Unless she could mask it with some form of aggression or annoyance (as she usually did) this concern made her feel weak, vulnerable, and out of control. Rainbow hated that feeling. But Pinkie Pie didn't deserve any feigned irritation for this visit. _Especially_ at this hour. And frankly, Rainbow didn't much have the energy for the pomp and show. Definitely no time for it, at least.

Pinkie Pie shook her head, a pleasant smile still on her face. "Nah, you didn't bother me. I was having trouble sleeping. The rest of the girls are still in bed though. What's up?"

Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck. Her current discomfort, she realized, was also due in part to the fact that she hadn't thought this through. Of _course_ everyone was asleep. It was before seven AM on a Sunday. Still, Pinkie being awake was better than nothing.

"Um," Dash started awkwardly. "I came to check on Rarity. See, I ran into her last night. She'd been sleep-walking in a rough part of town."

Pinkie Pie's eyes widened. "Holy sprinkles!" she looked behind her to where the stairs led up out of sight. "Gee! I had no idea! I came back home late last night and she was already in bed."

"Yeah, AJ and I dropped her off."

Now Pinkie whirled around, her eyes gleaming. "You were with Applejack?"

Rainbow flinched. "Uh, yeah?"

Pinkie Pie cheered and hugged her, hard. "YAY! I'm so happy to hear you two aren't mad at each other anymore!"

Rainbow Dash groaned and tried to pry the party girl off. "Pinkie, Applejack and me weren't fighting! We just… drifted apart. Okay?" _And you know exactly the reason why, too!_

"I'm just glad you two are speaking to each other again," Pinkie giggled happily as she released her friend. "It really bummed everyone out that you guys couldn't seem to get along after high school."

 _That's what happens when you have a love triangle I guess,_ Rainbow thought with not a little frustration.

"So about _Rarity-?"_ the tomboy prompted pointedly.

Pinkie hopped a little. "Oh! Right. She's-"

"Wondering what all the commotion is about so bloody early in the morning, that's what!" came a groggy and sour voice.

Both girls at the door turned their attention to the stairs where Rarity descended with two hands tightly gripping the railing as she descended with sleepy unsteadiness. She glared at them through squinted eyes.

"Honestly, what in the blazes warrants such a racket at this hour!?" Rarity grumbled, her normally perfect hair sloppily spilling over her shoulder.

Rainbow crossed her arms and frowned. " _You_ , dummy. You're the reason for the commotion. I came to check on you before my practice today!"

Rarity paused on the last step, her slim alabaster hands pulling her nightgown tighter around her body. "Oh." She flipped a hand through the air and shrugged daintily. "Well as you can quite plainly see, I am absolutely fine." She toyed with the railing post, her manicured fingers lightly tracing over its polished wood. "Actually, if I am being _perfectly_ honest, I came downstairs because I heard your voice, Rainbow." She looked at the tomboy earnestly. "I wanted to say thank you for bringing me home safely."

Pinkie Pie nodded with gusto, a serious (almost _too_ serious) expression on her face. "Yeah! I wanna say thanks too, Dashie!" She looked at Rarity and held out her arms as she moved in for a hug. "If I'd have known Rares was in any kind of trouble, I would have been there lickety-split!" to Rainbow's surprise, these last few words became choked with emotion. Rarity eyed Pinkie's incoming hug with some apprehension, but returned it upon its gentle arrival, a little sigh escaping her upon finding it wasn't one of her friend's infamous monster embraces.

Rainbow rocked on her heels, resisting the urge to step inside. She was running out of time, and she'd left the tortoise alone in the taxi. (The driver kept threatening to charge for any damage the thing may cause.) "No sweat, you guys. I'm just glad to see you're okay, Rarity. Listen, I have some money for you for a shirt you bought Fluttershy. I meant to give it to you when I saw you on Friday, but I was kinda, y'know, distracted."

"Pardon me?" Rarity started, her nose already wrinkling with distaste as she and Pinkie separated.

Rainbow dug her wallet out from her pocket, her fingers fumbling as she hastily pulled out the wrinkled bills. "She was gonna return the shirt since you bought it when you were all wacky, but then I pulled the tag off and now she can't-so to make her feel better, I told her I'd pay you for it."

Rarity was already shaking her head, her hand held out like she could stave away the cash. "No! I bought that for her. She really shouldn't have felt bad-!"

Rainbow Dash pursed her lips. With one long step, she crossed the threshold and tossed the bills onto the foyer table to the left of the door. "This money is yours! No debate! You weren't in your right mind when you bought the shirt, Rares!" When she stepped back through the door, she caught the stung look on the fashionista's face. Rainbow sighed and held up a hand. "Come on, man. _Please_ don't get all weepy! Fluttershy isn't trying to reject you, she just doesn't want you to go into debt!"

Rarity took a deep breath, one dainty finger carefully wiping at the corners of her eyes. "Very well," she sniffled. She shrugged her hands in a, _What can I do in the face of such stubborn insistence?_ sort of gesture then clasped them to her chest. "It's true that I was perhaps not in a position to make such purchases within reason," she relented with some effort.

Pinkie smiled and took hold of her wrist. "Heeey… Fluttershy and Dashie are just making sure you'll be okay!"

This caused Rarity to smile at her and pat her hand. "Of course. I see that now."

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat awkwardly. "Uh, so now that _that's_ settled, I gotta get going. Today's family practice day, and Fluttershy promised to be there, so-"

"Family practice day?" Rarity interjected.

"Fluttershy is going?" Pinkie added, her smile adopting a teasing tilt as she turned to peer at Rainbow.

Rainbow suddenly felt cornered. She resisted the urge to take a step back. "Uh, yeah?" She thumbed over her shoulder. "I gotta get going. I got a taxi waiting and I'm already going to be a few minutes late as it is! I'll see you guys later, all right?"

Rainbow Dash turned on her heel, ready to flee from whatever scheme she could already see the pair cooking up when Rarity called out in a sing-song behind her: "Pinkie Pie! My schedule is _remarkably_ free today. What say we enjoy a rousing show of sport?"

The tomboy halted her footsteps, her eyes falling shut with a growing sense of doom.

"Oooh!" Pinkie answered. "That sounds super duper fun, Rarity! I could use with a fun day out with friends!"

Rainbow set her jaw and snapped over her shoulder, "You wanna come? _Fine_. But no funny business from you two! If I catch a whiff that you're angling for that stupid bet of yours, I'll haul you outta there myself!" She took a single step before adding with a whip of her head, " _Neither_ of you won, by the freaking way!"

As she resumed her walk back to her car, she heard Pinkie and Rarity answer in unison with much too much sweetness, "Okaaay!"

Rainbow groaned as she got back into the taxi car. _Geez! I guess they just wanna see who nailed it in the end._ She glanced at the tortoise next to her and groused, "Lil dude, you might be the simplest thing about my day today!"

It blinked at her placidly as the driver started up the car. Instead of leaving the tortoise on the floor as she had the night before, Rainbow had it secured next to her on the seat… _with_ a seat belt wrapped over its shell.

After the critter took a bullet for her, it seemed the least she could do.

* * *

When she arrived at the field, it was to find Sassaflash already leading warm-ups with the team. The head coach intercepted Rainbow as she approached, but given the audience already up in the stands, he kept his scolding short. She apologized and he glared at her for a moment longer before pointing at the tortoise in her hands.

"And what's with _that?_ " he snapped.

She looked at him pleadingly. "I'm watching it for a friend and it's sick. I thought some time outside might do it some good!"

"Rainbow-"

"There's someone coming today that can watch it if no one on the sidelines can! So is it okay?"

Her coach let out a rough sigh. He put his hands on his hips and said wearily, "Find this 'someone' of yours pronto. We ain't pet sitters." He shook his head as he walked away, and she thought he heard him grumble, "'Family day'... what a zoo!"

Grinning, Rainbow Dash scanned the benches. Her eyes caught on a familiar head of pink hair.

 _Always on time._

Fluttershy sat up as their eyes met and waved meekly. Rainbow grinned, feeling some of the unease that had plagued her all morning fade away. She ran to the stands and up the steps, not even minding that Fluttershy had chosen to sit up high and behind everyone else. Other family members of the team eyed her curiously as she passed. It would be a decent crowd today.

"Good morning, Rainbow!" Fluttershy greeted, somehow sounding out of breath.

Rainbow's smile widened, her heart doing a little somersault at the worshipful gleam in her girlfriend's eyes. "Hey, Flutters! You really made it!"

"Yes. Is that okay? It's just, after I promised to come, the idea of not showing up seemed _awful_ , but then I realized I sort of invited myself and-"

"Fluttershy, you featherbrain, of _course_ it's okay! I'm totes happy you're here!"

A relieved sigh. "Oh. Good. Because I'm happy to be here too!" Her gaze dropped to the tortoise. "And you brought the tortoise! Did you have any trouble with him?"

"Not exactly?" At Fluttershy's worried look, the tomboy hurried to say, "I gave him his eye drops. His appetite is good, too. Ate most of his salad last night." Rainbow winced. _May as well be upfront about it… Since we're telling Sunset about Rarity, our 'mission' last night is gonna be old news. Flutters is smart. She'll put two and two together about how this critter got his hard shell knicked._ "Listen, Fluttershy. Just so you know, there's a knick on it's- _his_ -shell. I'll tell you more about it later. He seems okay, though. Better than okay, I'd say. He's a freaking tank!"

Rainbow held the tortoise up and smirked at it. The whole time it had been hiding in its shell, but upon hearing Fluttershy's voice, it had peeked just its head out curiously. "Ain't that right, lil' dude? You a tank? Heck yeah, you are!" Rainbow frowned a little and tilted her head to the side. "Hmm… Y'know what. I'm calling you Tank. I'm getting sick of saying 'tortoise' and 'lil' dude' all the time." When she looked back at Fluttershy she was about to say, _Is that okay?_ When the strange look on her girlfriend's face made her freeze.

Fluttershy's eyes had gone wide and she had her hand over her mouth in what looked like a poor attempt at concealing a smile.

Confused (especially because the tomboy had expected some form of admonishment or concern regarding the tortoise) Rainbow asked, "Is there something on my face?"

Before Fluttershy could answer, there was a loud cheer from the bottom of the stands. Rainbow didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. "Oh boy," she sighed as she turned to see Pinkie Pie and Rarity ascending the stairs to join them.

"Good morning, Pinkie! Good morning, Rarity!" Fluttershy said with a surprised lift of her delicate eyebrows. "I didn't know you were coming today!"

"Neither did I," Rainbow muttered as she handed her girlfriend the tortoise.

Pinkie threw an arm around the tomboy and said jubilantly, "When Rainbow told us today was family practice day and that you were gonna be here, we decided to crash the party!" She gave Rainbow a good-natured shake. "More people to cheer for ya, right?"

Rainbow peered at her sideways. Pinkie was dressed in pink and light blue jumper shorts, her hair haphazardly drawn up into two sporty looking pigtails. The visual effect was… pretty kiddish.

"If cheering is all you're gonna do, then I guess that's cool," Rainbow said to the party-lover.

Rarity tittered. She was wearing the school's colors of cyan and raspberry in a flowing sundress and chiffon shawl. Covering her head was a sun hat. "Darling, you worry too much!"

Fluttershy was looking between them all, her eyes blinking owlishly. "Worry? What for?"

Rainbow slipped out from under Pinkie Pie's arm. "Guys, I need to get back down there. Just have fun, and _be good_." She said this last bit pointedly to the sorority sisters.

"We will!" the pair chorused.

Fluttershy was frowning softly now. "What-?"

But Rainbow dashed down the stairs before anything more could be said about the matter.

When she joined Sassaflash and the others, she asked breathlessly, "We on track?"

"No thanks to you!" Sass replied, but the remark lacked any venom. In fact, the vice-captain was positively beaming.

Rainbow glanced at her curiously as she joined in the last of the warm-ups: leg lunges. "You seem in a good mood! What's up?"

"It looks like me and lover boy made up," Sass sighed dreamily, her eyes turning up to the wispy clouds overhead.

This made the soccer captain scowl. "Again? I thought you guys _already_ made up! You two are like a bad soap opera."

"Sticks and stones, Dashie! Sticks and stones."

* * *

Fluttershy was just glad to be there. Thanks to Honey Grace's kind favor of switching shifts, this day had been made possible. Of course, trying to meekly wake her brother on time to give her a ride before he left for work (and then having to hastily explain why there were no buses that early on a Sunday before he fell asleep again) had been a unique challenge all its own. But Star Weld had come through, as he always did. Fluttershy had been shivering up on the stands for thirty minutes since arrival, watching meekly as the seats slowly filled with friends, family, and significant others of the team. When the team itself finally showed up- _without_ its star captain-Fluttershy had immediately begun to worry.

 _Did something happen to her? I thought it was odd that she hadn't texted me last night…_ She actually gasped aloud as the next thought came to her: _Oh no! She must be sick! Should I call her? I can bring soup!_

But then there she was. Rainbow Dash came rushing onto the field. In fact, she'd brought the tortoise with her. This overtook Fluttershy's relief with worry anew. Had she encumbered Rainbow by giving her the burden of caring for a critter?

Another turn of emotions came when their eyes met, and Rainbow smiled.

Fluttershy felt her spirit brighten. What was she worried about? Everything would be fine.

Regarding the knick on the tortoise's-Tank's-shell… She did feel a small balloon of alarm, but Rainbow said she'd explain, and just as the tomboy said, the tortoise appeared to be fine. More than that-was Fluttershy imagining things, or was her new girlfriend starting to bond with the critter?

Before she could think on it further, she was surprised to see Pinkie and Rarity joining them. She had no idea Rarity could even get up and do something at this hour for anything short of fashion.

Judging by Rainbow's behavior, she saw their appearance as more of a potential nuisance.

 _Why, though?_ Fluttershy wondered as she frowned at the tomboy's retreat back to the field.

"Good gracious, you'd think they'd add cushions to these awful seats," Rarity complained as she and Pinkie seated themselves at either side of Fluttershy. The animal lover couldn't help but feel a little bit like she was being surrounded as Pinkie Pie sidled past her drawn in legs. There was plenty of room on the bench for the pair to sit on one side of her, after all.

 _I suppose Pinkie just misses me?_

"I think seat cushions would get ruined out here..." Fluttershy started, still eyeing Pinkie curiously as the party girl happily lowered herself onto the metal bleacher. "Because of… weather," she finished with an uncertain glance at her companions. For having come to 'cheer on' Rainbow Dash, they sure were looking at her quite a bit. Ceaselessly, even.

Fluttershy shrank under the attention.

"My dear Fluttershy, why didn't you tell us you were coming to this charming event of Rainbow's? We would've been delighted to keep you company!" Rarity said with an affectionate pat on the animal lover's knee.

"B-but I thought you hate the seats?" Fluttershy pointed out uncomfortably.

"Pish posh! That is irrelevant when supporting a dear friend in love!"

Fluttershy felt heat flood from her face down to the tips of her toes. "L-L-L-Love?"

"Yeah, silly!" Pinkie added with a jubilant bump of the shoulder. She started counting off her fingers. "First you two start studying together, then suddenly there's a 'special dinner', then you're coming to Rainbow's practices even though you had work and you dislike crowds-!"

"How do you know all those things?" Fluttershy squeaked. "I-I mean, I know you saw us at dinner, but the other things-?"

"I filled her in, dear!" Rarity answered on her other side. "Forgive me for saying so, but I didn't think your study sessions and your work schedule were to be kept secret. They weren't, were they?" Puppy dog eyes. Rarity was always so _good_ at it.

"No," Fluttershy admitted. "Still, Pinkie Pie's quick… uh- _deductions_ -are a little unnerving."

"Soooo?" Pinkie sang.

The shy girl let her bangs slip over her features. "So what?"

" _So_ , what we're dying to know is whether or not you two are _official!_ " Rarity said with affectionate frustration.

Fluttershy was pretty certain she was going to melt into a mortified puddle at their feet. When she had managed to wrangle her thoughts into something resembling coherence, she managed to bleat, "Yes?"

Rarity and Pinkie Pie leaned in as if proximity might cure the dubiety out of Fluttershy's answer. Their eyes met across the shy girl's nose, and as if some unspoken message had passed between them, they nodded.

"Okie dokie," Pinkie said with a placid smile, her blue eyes turning to the soccer field. The team was breaking up into two groups for a practice match.

Rarity turned away in a similar fashion, her hand waving away the conversation like it was lingering smoke. "Good to hear. Congratulations!"

If Fluttershy had felt mortified before, she was bewildered now. She stared between her two friends with utter bafflement, her mouth a little open as she tried to work out just what in the world they were thinking. Had she answered wrong? Were they dissatisfied with her answer?

 _Oh gosh, did I insult them!?_

"W-We really are together now!" Fluttershy insisted, her hands wringing in her lap. "I wasn't trying to confuse either of you! But, b-but it's just… I… haven't said it aloud to anyone yet…" this last part she said low, almost under her breath. Dread struck her.

 _Was I not supposed to tell?_

"Fluttershy, it's _okay_ ," Rarity said with warmth as she gave her friend a tight hug. Her eyes shone like the pretty diamonds she always admired. "Forgive us if we made you feel pressured. It's just-"

"We've been waiting for-like- _ever_ for you two to get together!" Pinkie Pie practically roared, her hands curling into claws. She turned her blazing eyes onto the paling Fluttershy and jammed her thumbs into her own chest. " _I thought I was gonna explode while waiting! Bigger than popping candy in soda! BIGGER THAN ALL THE POPPING CANDY IN ALL THE WORLD'S-!_ "

"What Pinkie Pie _means,"_ Rarity interjected with a very sharp glare at her pink-haired roommate, "is that we were just excited to see something develop after all this time. When we realized we were coming on too strong, we tried to put you at ease." She rubbed Fluttershy's trembling shoulder. "Please, do not trouble yourself about it anymore, dear. We're here to show our support for Rainbow Dash, are we not? Let's cheer on your new beau!"

Fluttershy carefully straightened her back. She could still feel the chill of the sweat that had formed on her skin, but her heart was settling in her chest.

 _These are our friends. They've been cheering us on this whole time._

The animal lover took a deep bracing breath. On her exhale, she sighed, "Thank you!"

"Yeeeeah," Pinkie said. Her breezy smile had returned to her face. "It's all good, Flutters!" She crossed her legs and tapped her fingers on her top knee. "I mean, it's not like you guys had anything to eat after you had dinner at Sugarcube Corner, right?"

Fluttershy was bewildered by the question, but judging by the tightening of Rarity's grip on her shoulder, she suspected this had something to do with what the girl's had _really_ been interested in. Freed from the pressure of revealing her relationship status, Fluttershy could feel a weariness settle on her even as anxiety still simmered like dying coals in her gut. Now she just wanted the conversation to end so that she could focus on Rainbow-the team had split into their groups, and the soccer captain was squaring off against her vice-captain.

"No," Fluttershy said, trying to think back to her date. "We didn't eat anything after Sugarcube Corner."

"Really?" Pinkie and Rarity chorused. The fashionista pulled back her hand to cover her mouth with it, and the party planner had both hands in her voluminous hair.

Now Fluttershy blushed, smiling a little as she toyed with her bangs. Her eyes were on Rainbow as she was served the ball. Her group was charging in with her at the lead, her striking hair unmistakeable on the green even at this distance.

"Rainbow Dash and I didn't eat anything after dinner," Fluttershy asserted again with a sigh, her hands clasping together. "Actually, she… she sang me a song! That's how she confessed." A shy giggle. "Singing my feelings to her had been _my_ idea, but she saw through it. She saw how scared I was and she did it first. Isn't it just like her to beat me to something?" Another sigh, happier this time. "It was _lovely_."

Rarity shrieked with fists clenched, making Fluttershy jump. Pinkie Pie threw her head back and laughed.

The animal lover frowned, her frustration finally rearing its head. "Girls, if it's not too much trouble, would you _please_ tell me what this whole thing has been about?"

As Pinkie Pie was too busy trying to breathe through her peals of laughter, her legs even kicking in the air ( _Goodness, it's a good thing no one is sitting below us!)_ Rarity answered with a frayed and disgruntled voice. "Sunset Shimmer has won our little bet. That's what!"

Fluttershy's eyebrows rose. "Bet?"

But then Rainbow Dash scored a goal and the stands broke out in cheers, dragging the shy girl's attention away from her friends' mischief. It wasn't the roar of a full stadium crowd, but the ruckus was still loud and jubilant.

Fluttershy rose to her feet and clapped, a small, "Yay!" escaping from her smiling lips.

At that point, she found she was content to leave all other matters to another time. This was her time to see her girlfriend do what she did best…

* * *

Rainbow Dash had slipped into her zone, and given the uncertainty of the week, she was quite happy to be there. Euphoric, almost. On the field, her tasks were simple, her opponents clear, and the challenges resolved within seconds. It didn't even matter that, as team captain and her group's central striker, she had purposefully chosen back-roster members and their otherwise weakest players to be on her team. After all, their entire team had to be on top of their game. They were only as strong as their weakest link, and an injury could take her, or any other player, off the field. Those who stepped in had to be just as good. Just as sharp.

The ball was in the opposing team's control, and they were playing a careful passing game with it midfield. Try as her team might, they couldn't seem to find that critical opening to put them back on the offensive again. Rainbow smirked. Sassaflash always preferred the mind game. She liked to demoralize her opponent, to make them sweat and tire themselves out whilst dangling her lead in their desperate faces. A perfect foil to Rainbow's aggressive attack style.

Sassaflash had her team in a 4-5-1 formation (four fullbacks near their goal, five midfielders in the center, and just one central forward) which was all about being compact midfield. It was a grind of a game plan, best used to hold onto any success whilst staving off comebacks. Naturally, Sass was playing the defensive midfielder meant to feed the ball back to her team and take the steam out of whatever assault Rainbow dished. Spitfire was playing one of the wide midfielder positions, and she was moving further up the pitch along with her counterpart. This was critical. It meant Rainbow's opponents were gearing to shift into a 4-3-3-or four fullbacks, three midfielders, and three forwards.

This was likely happening because Dash's team was on its back foot. After Rainbow had been forced to chance a pass back to her teammates thanks to the ferocious defense of the opposing fullbacks, Sass had swooped in with a steal. The field changed dramatically as the vice-captain dribbled the ball back into Rainbow's team's territory and made a skillful pass to her team's striker, Misty Fly, who had already been positioned deep and had been waiting patiently for just such an opportunity.

Rainbow cut across the field, eyeing Spitfire's retreating back as her fullbacks tried to change the tide. She couldn't help but grin.

What she kept trying to explain to Sassaflash (and what the vice-captain refused to see) was the 4-5-1's critical weakness. The plain fact of it was, the formation lacked _burst_. Oh, sure… You could mount a serious defense and maintain control of the ball. But in Rainbow's opinion, what point was there in controlling the ball if you couldn't _do_ anything with it? Because of Sass' team's positioning, their striker was alone. To mount a serious offense, they had to change formations. But Spitfire and her fellow midfielder really had to hustle to be in a position to support Misty Fly at her lonely striker position. They were fast, but not _that_ fast. This gave Rainbow's team ample time to recover.

In the meantime, Misty did what she could, but the fullbacks had already been prepared to lay pressure on her, and lay pressure they did. Pivot, feint, dribble, dribble, feint… It was of no use. The harried striker was getting boxed in. A thought crossed Rainbow's mind, but it was quickly filed away, to be brought up again during the reflective team meeting afterward: _One-on-one dribbling drills with Misty. Maybe some ball touch drills too._

The midfielders (now wide forwards) had arrived just a few seconds too late. Without any clear shots for a pass back, Misty lost the ball. One of Rainbow's center fullbacks, Sun Chaser, took it away and passed it up the pitch. The game of keep away was tense but short-Rainbow's team knew they couldn't play the passing game forever. They had an opening, and Rainbow was right in the center of it.

She wasn't ashamed to say that, when it was crunch time, her teammates knew to pass the ball to her-even if the playbook dictated that she not be the recipient at that particular moment. Another one of Sass' complaints. Still, even as Rainbow saw the vice captain's plan to attack this supposed 'weakness' close in on her in the form of two desperate-looking fullbacks, she knew it in her bones that this was in the bag.

The ball struck her cleats as Rainbow received the long pass. Another stray thought: _Our passing game is improving._ She feint past a stunned Blaze, then easily outran a gasping High Winds. The other fullbacks seemed torn between following the playbook or heaping more pressure on Rainbow. One broke off to do the latter-Surprise-one of their more undisciplined defenders.

Rainbow winked at the over-eager fullback, then passed the ball to her left forward, Lilac Sky-the person Surprise was _supposed_ to have stuck with. In the confusion, Rainbow moved in deeper, toward the goal. Lilac didn't need to think on it for more than a second before passing the ball back toward Rainbow. The captain expertly struck toward the goal. The goalie jumped, fingers grazing the speeding projectile. The ball hit the net. The stands erupted into cheers.

Surprise looked… well, _surprised_.

Rainbow turned to her and wagged a finger. "Dude, how many times I gotta tell ya to keep your cool?"

The fullback had the good sense to look disappointed with herself. "Sorry, cap,"

The tomboy clapped her jovially on the back, a grin lighting her face. "We'll work on it. Don't get too down." She chuckled suddenly, feeling electrified with joy. "Not many can outplay me!"

When Rainbow Dash turned her eyes to the stands, it was to see Fluttershy up on her feet. She was sort of hopping on the spot, her hands clapping together rapidly-but in a girly, almost polite sort of way. Upon seeing the soccer captain's attention turned her way, the animal lover gave a small, but excited wave. Rainbow returned it with a smirk.

As her attention started to drift back to the game at hand (the opposing team had kickoff) Rainbow saw a flash of bright garish hair on the sidelines. She did a double take… and felt her heart sink.

Rainbow Blaze was standing next to the coaches, who cast peeved glances his way. He was always throwing his weight around with them and it was no secret they disliked it. But they put up with him because Blaze had clout.

Sighing, she returned to her position on the field.

The ball was kicked off, the game resumed… But Rainbow didn't feel the weightless confidence, the crackling joy, nor the singing satisfaction of the game anymore.

All she could hear was Blaze shouting what she was doing wrong.

* * *

Fluttershy felt Pinkie Pie nudge her, and when she looked at her friend, she found the party planner looked less than pleased.

"Blaze," Pinkie hissed.

"Blast! Where?" Rarity asked, sitting forward.

Pinkie pointed (rather obviously, Fluttershy thought with some anxiety) and she looked. She was startled at how easily she had missed Blaze's colorful hair on the sidelines, but then again, she had been enraptured by Rainbow's excellent performance to the point that she'd nearly forgotten the pair sitting at either side of her. Now that she saw the broad-shouldered man, however, he stuck out like a thorn.

A loud, angry, belligerent thorn.

"Dash what the _hell_ are you doing? Hustle!"

"Pick your knees up! You're letting midfield die out there!"

"Do you even _see_ where the ball is going!?"

On and on it went. Fluttershy could feel the tears prick at her eyes, and Blaze wasn't even yelling at her. She just felt so bad for Rainbow, seeing her friend-her _girlfriend_ -doing her best, trying to lead her team, only to have her father sweep in and undercut her at every opportunity. Why was he doing this? Couldn't he see what his yelling was doing to her performance? Even Rarity, who knew even less about sports than Fluttershy did, could understand the effect the father was having on his daughter.

"What a boorish fool!" the fashionista snarled. "Poor Dashie is flailing out there thanks to him!"

Fluttershy nodded sadly. But what could she do?

Then there was a turn-around. Sassaflash's team had been forced to play a more aggressive tactic after falling behind in points, but Rainbow's team was fresh and confident in repelling their attacks. After a timely interception, Rainbow's teammates passed the ball up the field, gave her the ball, and she scored an amazing bicycle kick goal. It was almost like watching a symphony reach a majestic conclusion.

The crowd's cheers were scythed through by Blaze's infuriated _screaming_.

"Dashie, quit fucking around with that flashy horseshit! You're a soccer player, not a sideshow _freak!_ You could've taken that shot with a header! That better be the last _damn_ time I see you showing off, you hear me!?"

Fluttershy sobbed a little when she saw Rainbow's body sag, her face shining with sweat as colorful tendrils clung to the sides of her cheeks.

 _He's being so… so_ mean! Fluttershy thought. Her legs felt electric, her throat was clenching… but not with the need to cry.

Then the girl knew what she so wanted to do.

She jumped to her feet, and with hands at either of her side of her mouth, Fluttershy screamed as hard as she could:

" _YAAAY!"_

From the corners of her eyes, she could see Pinkie and Rarity look up at her in shock. The stands, which had already fallen quiet in the wake of Blaze's barrage, turned to look up at her. Fluttershy was trembling so bad, she looked like she was going to fall apart into pieces. Her hands were sweaty. She thought was going to toss up her breakfast.

Still, she stuck her pinkies into the corners of her mouth and whistled loudly, then cheered again. " _Go Rainbow! You can do it!_ "

The players on the field had slowed to a halt as they watched Fluttershy cheer. The shy girl had to use all of her will to keep her eyes on Rainbow, to block out the crushing attention of everyone in attendance.

When she saw Rainbow's eyes fall on hers, this felt much easier to do.

"Yeah, Rainbow!" Pinkie Pie hollered at Fluttershy's other side, making the animal lover jump with a squeak. "You're soccerrific!"

Fluttershy didn't have time to puzzle out how that was a compliment, because Rarity stood at her other side and yelled, "Bravo, Rainbow!"

Other people began to shout and cheer encouragement as well. Pinkie Pie started a steady clap that others quickly joined in too. Fluttershy's hands covered her mouth and her shoulders hunched around her ears-at first, alarmed that she had set into motion such a ruckus-then gradually she became moved, her eyes filling with tears.

She looked at Rainbow again to see the tomboy's stunning smile. Fluttershy half-sobbed, and half-laughed, her hand waving weakly. _Listen to them, Rainbow! They all believe in you, just like I do!_

Her smile waned as she caught sight of Rainbow Blaze glaring up at the stands-up at _her_ -his mouth twisted into a snarl before he stalked away in the direction of the locker rooms. Fluttershy's lips pressed together grimly.

* * *

The practice was over. Sassaflash's team had won, and Rainbow was disappointed. Less in her teammates, and more in herself. She had let Blaze get into her head and she'd failed them. It didn't matter that this was the worse he'd ever been. She hadn't backed up her team when she needed to. Had his verbal siege been some sort of test of her will? A test of her focus?

If it was, then she'd failed. Miserably.

She did manage to take some solace in the rousing show of support toward the end, _especially_ from Fluttershy. How hard had it been for the shy girl to stand up and cheer like that? In all their years together, Rainbow couldn't think of a single moment when Flutters had been so bold. It had set off everyone else! That steady clap… it was still giving her chills.

Of course, it hadn't been enough to make a comeback, but Rainbow felt less beaten into the ground come shower time.

Unfortunately for her, Rainbow Blaze intercepted her on the way in.

"Rainbow, we need to talk," the man said gruffly.

Rainbow paused, eyeing him warily. Her teammates slowed around her as they openly glared at him. She sighed and waved them on. Reluctantly they went, but Sassaflash lingered up ahead, her eyes filled with concern.

"You good?" the vice-captain asked tersely, her eyes flashing contemptibly Blaze's way.

"I'm good," Rainbow replied.

A shrug. Sass left, leaving Blaze and Dash alone in the cool concrete hallway, daylight flooding from the direction of the field.

They stood for nearly a minute in silence, Blaze with his hands on his slim hips. Rainbow with her arms crossed, braced for whatever he was going to say.

"You know how to put on a good show, Dash," the man said, his eyes gazing steadily at her. Watching. Waiting for her to crack.

She raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't trying to be entertaining. I only did what I thought I had to do to win."

"How deluded are you that you actually believe that?" Blaze asked, his gaze narrowing. He gestured disdainfully toward the field. "You really think all that dancing and crazy acrobatics is what wins games?" He jabbed a finger at her, his voice turning sharp. "Just because you _can_ do something, doesn't mean you should! I don't care how many people cheer for you, it won't matter if you fuck up and lose a game!"

Rainbow Dash bared her teeth. "I'll take the header next time, okay?"

"You say that, but we keep having the same conversation over and over." He covered his face with his hand. "How can I make you see?" His shoulders had tightened and he turned away. "Subscriptions are down at the training center. Losing before we even hit the championships could turn the tide against us. We can't take any _risks._ "

Rainbow Dash hung her head and took a step toward him. "Dad, you know I don't mean to -!"

"Rainbow?" The tomboy whirled around to see Fluttershy's near-silhouetted form standing timidly at the hallway entrance, Pinkie and Rarity further back where the sun almost washed them out. Fluttershy was hugging herself around the torso, but her face had a grim sort of determination to it. "Is-Is everything okay?"

Rainbow's brow knitted as she sighed. Why did everyone keep asking her that? So her dad was unhappy with her… Was that really such cause for concern?

"Everything's all right," Rainbow said wearily. "My dad was just talking shop with me. I'll meet you in the parking lot, okay?"

Fluttershy opened her mouth to reply when Blaze cut in: "You're Fluttershy, right?"

The shy girl seemed startled by the question but nodded.

Blaze nodded slowly, his eyes searching. "Rainbow's told me how you're helping her with this psych project of hers." He spoke slowly. Thoughtfully.

Rainbow looked at him, her eyes widening. He turned his head to her, and his gaze was shining. "I simply _cannot tell you_ how grateful I am for your help."

At that moment, Rainbow felt a sudden flash of cold.

"I'll be more careful," Rainbow blurted, her hands clenched into fists. "I'm sorry you feel like I don't take things seriously."

He gazed at her hard for a beat longer. Rainbow Dash could feel Fluttershy gazing at them with confusion. Then Blaze smiled and went to hug his daughter. She received it limply, but her eyes smoldered with checked anger.

"We have to stick together," Blaze murmured close to her ear. He sounded surprisingly tired.

"Yeah," she breathed back. She stared over his shoulder through the opposite wall. "Together."

When Blaze pulled away, he clapped her one last time on the upper arm. "Let's set up another training night this week. We can talk more then." He started to walk away toward the field. He nodded at Fluttershy with a close-lipped smile. "Thanks again."

When Blaze had left, Fluttershy approached a rooted Rainbow Dash. The tomboy felt like a giant invisible hand was pressing down on her.

"Rainbow," Fluttershy whispered as she came closer. She looked like she was approaching a wild animal caught in a trap. "You look upset."

"I _am_ upset," Rainbow snapped. She winced and immediately murmured, "Sorry, sorry… I'm not upset with _you_."

A sigh. Fluttershy turned her eyes to her shoes. "I feel like my cheering made things worse."

"What? No way. Hey," Rainbow quickly hugged her girlfriend. "Your cheer was, like, the best part of the entire day! Don't worry about my dad, okay? Sometimes he gets like that. He's been a little more intense lately because he's under a lot of pressure."

"I didn't realize pressure could turn a jerk into an angry lunatic," Sass' voice said behind them.

Rainbow turned, blinking, to see that Sassaflash had, in fact, _not_ gone to the showers with the others. Instead, she'd apparently been hiding around the corner.

"Were you listening in?" Rainbow asked, scowling with annoyance. She stepped to the side but kept one arm over Fluttershy. "I told you, I was fine!"

Sass held up her hands. "I wasn't listening in! Honest! I was just waiting for him to leave." She winked at Fluttershy. "Seems like I would have been better off staying! Blaze would have kept chewing your ear off until someone cared enough to butt in."

Fluttershy tensed under Rainbow's arm. "I-I didn't mean to butt in!" She looked at Rainbow earnestly. "I was just worried!"

The soccer captain squeezed the other girl's shoulder. "You're fine. Don't sweat it."

"Listen," Sass said, approaching with loosely crossed arms. "I just wanted to make sure Blaze didn't get the last word on today's practice. You did great, Dashie. In fact, I was wondering if you and your friends wanted to come over to my place for a little while? A kind of pre-celebration before our match with Griffonstone next week."

Rainbow Dash frowned. "Like a party?"

"Just a small one." Sass lifted her hand and squeezed her index and thumb fingers together, her voice pitching high. "An _itty bitty one!_ "

Rainbow blinked, then looked at Fluttershy. "You up for that?"

Fluttershy bit her lip and fidgeted on the spot. After a moment of thought: "I'd need to call Star Weld to let him know that I won't need a ride, but… it should be all right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded, a smile lighting her face. Maybe _that's_ what she needed. A chance to let loose and just have fun before the weekly grind started up all over again. She certainly could use with something to help her forget things. So many, many things…

 _The psych project, Applejack's feelings, Sunset Shimmer missing, Rarity's insomnia, my dad… I could use with_ one lousy night _where none of that matters. Things will work out sooner or later._

Her eyes fell to Fluttershy's and Rainbow's heartbeat quickened.

 _Things will work out. They have to._

"Let's do it," Rainbow said to Sass. She winced and added, "Um, actually, can you take me to my car? I left it downtown. Had to catch a taxi just to get to practice today."

"Why is your car downtown, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked with a tilt of her head.

Rainbow Dash looked down at her sideways. "Yeeaaah. 'Bout that. So remember that _tiny_ knick on Tank's shell? Well… "


	25. Chapter 24

Her grip on her steering wheel was knuckle-white as she wrung it with both hands. At a stoplight, Rainbow Dash looked up at the roof of her red convertible and prayed for deliverance. Tank was on the back seat, strapped with a seat belt. He'd retreated into his shell the moment things went south. In the front passenger seat, Fluttershy was folded over onto her lap, her face in her hands, _still_ freaking out about last night. At this point, it was hard to tell if the other girl was sobbing or trying to breathe. Awkwardly, Rainbow reached over and rubbed her girlfriend's back.

"Shy, come on, I'm telling you it wasn't that bad!"

Fluttershy mewled something into her hands.

Dash leaned in. "What?"

Shy shot upright. "You were shot at!"

Rainbow winced and took this opportune moment to look at her phone's screen, pretending to check on the navigation to Sass' home for the millionth time. She tried to assure herself that she wasn't avoiding looking at Fluttershy's blotchy tear-stained face, but was in fact just trying to avoid getting lost. When her vice captain had said, 'my place', she had assumed she'd meant her dorm, but on the drive over to Rainbow's car with Pinkie and Rarity, Sass explained:

"I meant my parents' place, where I grew up. They're out of town for a conference or something, so we'll have the place to ourselves!"

Since Rainbow had never been there, she needed the navigation. _Desperately_ needed it, as it turned out.

"What if you or the others had gotten hurt?" Fluttershy asked yet again. She hugged herself, her body curling as she gasped at the dashboard. "And Tank! Oh poor Tank!" she fought for breath, her inhales short, sharp, and uneven while her exhales grew long and heavy.

The light turned green. Rainbow tried to accelerate smoothly as she squeezed Fluttershy's shoulder. "Breathe, Fluttershy! You're going over your limit!"

"There's… a limit… to hyper-... ventilating?"

"In your case, there ought to be!" Rainbow glanced and flinched at her girlfriend's watery gaze.

"Why didn't you tell me what you were doing?" Fluttershy sobbed.

Dash made a face. "Is that a serious question?"

"Yes!"

"Because you would have tried to stop me!" Rainbow barely managed to keep from throwing a _Duh!_ at the end of her words, but when she heard the impatience in her tone, she slumped in her seat and sighed. "I didn't want to worry you."

"I'm going... to worry," Fluttershy said. "Rainbow... I- I care about you! Of course... I'm going to... worry!"

Rainbow slowed to a halt at a stop sign, and as she checked for oncoming traffic, she took a chance to look at the other girl- _really_ look.

Fluttershy had fished out a tissue from her purse and was using it to dab her face with a shaky hand. She was still breathing unevenly, but her inhales were fast improving. It was a small relief that Shy's anxious fits were nowhere near the epic levels Rarity's could get up to.

"I'm sorry," Rainbow said. She lingered at the stop, listening as Fluttershy's breathing balanced itself. Though she had ample chance to take a right turn, she felt like her attempts at escaping this talk had come to an end. Frankly, she was done trying to downplay it anymore. "It was a dumb idea. Maybe if I would have told you, I wouldn't have gone through with it. Either way, I shouldn't have dragged Tank with me. You left him with me to take care of, and I dropped the ball. I'd understand if you didn't want to trust him with me anymore."

There was a beat of silence. Then Fluttershy took a shuddering breath and murmured, "Rainbow, it's true that I'm not pleased Tank was put in harm's way. But what concerns me isn't his safety anymore. It's yours!" She put her hand on Rainbow's arm. "What if you run into them again? You said a bunch of people came out of the pub when you were running away!"

"It was dark."

"Dashie, your hair is the color of the rainbow."

"We live in a big city!"

Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut and leaned her head back on the headrest. With pursed lips, Rainbow Dash eased the car forward. They were nearly there.

"Can I just point out that something good _did_ happen last night?" Rainbow said, chancing small glances at her girlfriend as she changed lanes. "If we hadn't been out there, we wouldn't have found Rarity sleepwalking and using her magic! Who knows what could have happened if she'd been alone?"

"As silver linings go, it's a small comfort. There's still so much we don't understand!" Fluttershy wrung her hands. "Rainbow, I'm scared for her. I hope Sunset knows what to do!"

Rainbow threw a hand up into the air. "Heck, I'm even worried about Sun! I'm telling you, Fluttershy, that Tambelon place looked _rough_. I don't know why she's around stuff like that. You shoulda seen that donkey-faced jerk she went with on Thursday!"

"She _did_ text you Friday night, didn't she? Maybe she's fine?" Fluttershy hugged herself, her gaze turning out her window at the passing streets. "I hope she is."

Rainbow sighed. "Me too."

The last few minutes of the drive were spent in a stewing silence that left Rainbow fidgeting in her seat. She followed her phone's navigation until they came to a quiet cul-de-sac of well-to-do upper middle class homes. Sassaflash's place was a dandelion yellow two-story colonial house with black shutters, a wide porch complete with a porch swing, and a large green yard where a tall and healthy elm swayed gently with the breeze. Rainbow Dash parked on the opposite side of the street, a little smirk on her lips at how picturesque her vice captain's childhood home was.

Sass was sitting on the porch swing with Rarity, and the pair were engrossed in animated conversation. Pinkie Pie was out on the lawn just under the porch railings, admiring the colorful array of flowers with all the newfound glee of a four-year-old.

"What a nice home!" Fluttershy said with some awe as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

Rainbow nodded, still smirking. "Makes me wonder what Sass' room looks like!" She chortled evilly and rubbed her hands, picturing stuffed animals and embarrassing boy band posters. Her girlfriend only smiled with uncertainty at the scheming glint in her eye.

After retrieving Tank from the back seat, the pair crossed the street and were greeted with waves and warm smiles.

"Fluttershy come see these flowers! They smell super nice!" Pinkie bounded over and proceeded to pull her to the flower beds before even waiting for a response.

Shy smiled almost apologetically at Rainbow over her shoulder, but Rainbow only grinned and winked back at her. She went up the steps to join Sassaflash and Rarity on the porch.

"Sup," she said with a tilt of her head.

"Sup," Sass returned, but with a deeper voice.

The two soccer players snickered.

"My apologies once again about your car, Rainbow," Rarity said. Her brow tensed and she fussed with her broad brim sun hat in her lap. "I hadn't even realized what a bother it must have been without it until you mentioned it after practice! Won't you reconsider me reimbursing you for the taxi fare?"

"No way!" Rainbow knelt to set Tank down. The tortoise had poked its head out and was sleepily gazing at the girls on the swing. After rising, she leaned on the porch rail and crossed her arms. "Dude, I already told you, it's fine. All that matters is that we all got outta there safe."

Rarity sighed, but smiled. "Very well."

"'Got outta there safe'? What's that mean?" Sass asked curiously. She smirked at a paling Rainbow. "Dashie, did you forget to bring me along on a new adventure?"

The tomboy coughed. "Uh-"

Rarity interjected swiftly, a practiced smile on her face. "Sass has been telling me about her previous work as a teen fashion model!" Her eyes flared wide with suggestion when she looked Rainbow's way.

The hint wasn't necessary. Rainbow Dash's mouth fell open with sincere surprise. She stared at her vice captain. "Whaaat? _You_ worked in fashion?"

"For like, one summer! But yeah," Sass replied. She picked up a magazine Rainbow hadn't noticed next to her and held it up. It was a teen fashion catalogue from what could have been five years ago. A younger Sassaflash smiled from the glossy cover, wearing a long, unfastened, pink kimono jacket, a white crop top, light jean short shorts, and heeled cream boots.

"Whaaaat!" was all Rainbow could bring herself to say. She took the magazine and stared at it. Her eyes flitted from Sass, to the cover, and back.

Rarity nodded approvingly. "I remember when loose and layered was all the rage! You pulled it off well, Sassaflash."

"Thanks." Sass pulled her legs up and hugged them, a light blush touching her cheeks. "I would have kept up with it, but the photo shoots were starting to get crazy! I couldn't do anything else! Even my grades started slipping. Which was still fixable, I guess. It wasn't like I wasn't enjoying all the attention. But then when my mom caught a photographer telling me I was too chubby and I needed to fast before our next shoot, that was it. Game over."

"Chubby?" Rainbow's grip on the magazine tightened and she glared down at it. She slapped a hand on the cover and snarled, "But there was nothing wrong with you!"

"Unfortunately it's a prevalent attitude in the industry, darling," Rarity said with a small grimace. "There are some who are trying to combat such practices and promote a more accepting approach to beauty, but I'm afraid it will be sometime yet before the fashion world at large abandons its narrow views!"

Sassaflash smiled at her. "Sounds like the fashion world is lucky to have someone like you in it! Me? I think I would have tired of it even if my mom hadn't pulled me out. I like trying new things too much, and being a fashion model was way too time consuming."

Rainbow frowned as she handed back the magazine. "Wait… So what else did you do? I know you got into competitive dance, but-"

The vice captain waved the question away. "We've got time! I'll tell you that stuff later." Her eyes sparkled. "First, I wanna hear about your date with Fluttershy! You two are together, now, right?"

Rainbow could feel a blush at Rarity's knowing smile and Sass' hungry gaze. With a rueful grin, she rubbed the back of her neck and nodded.

Sassaflash squealed, kicking her legs up in the air and making the porch swing wiggle. "Deets! I need deets _so bad!_ "

Feeling like she was giving a report in front of an entire class in her underwear, Rainbow Dash punched a fist into an open hand, and with her voice turned husky from embarrassment, she gave a _brisk_ retelling of Friday night's events-though she pointedly left out how they snogged till they couldn't breathe, then after stepping on the brakes they just stayed up watching cartoons till they fell asleep in each other's arms. That felt private. In a weird way, the last bit moreso.

Sass, however, was not easily fooled. She squinted one eye at her sweating soccer captain, her lips curled in a mischievous grin. "You're not telling us everything!" she sing-songed.

"Yeah? So what!" Rainbow snapped. "Not everyone likes to kiss and tell, Sass!"

"I think that's very honorable of you, Rainbow," Rarity said with an encouraging smile.

Sassaflash blew a raspberry, causing the fashionista to look at her with scandalized shock.

"Not me!" Sass declared proudly. She placed her hands behind her head and puffed out her chest. "I love to kiss and tell!"

Rainbow groaned and covered her face with one hand. "Sass, please. Don't creep my friends out!"

"How would she creep us out?" Pinkie asked as she and Fluttershy joined them on the porch.

The tomboy waved both hands in warning. "Don't encourage her!"

"Wellll!" Sass said, barely restraining the laughter from her voice. "Just the other night, Caramel and I tried this new position out, and-"

"Ah, ah! That's quite enough!" Rarity covered her ears with her hands. "I am _wholly_ uninterested in such talk!"

"Fine, fine!" Sass laughed. She held her hands up in surrender. "I'm just teasing."

"A little too much," Rainbow grumbled, her cheeks burning hot. Fluttershy joined her at her side and hugged her arm.

Shy's eyes shone with pleasant curiosity. "New positions? Do you and Caramel work at the same place? How nice!"

Sassaflash and Pinkie Pie became swept up in a powerful gale of humor. Rarity shook with silent laughter that she tried to conceal vainly with a hand over her mouth. Rainbow couldn't help but let a chortle escape her as she leaned in and whispered to a bemused Fluttershy what was actually meant.

The shy girl blushed and grinned sheepishly. "Oh."

Still giggling, Sassaflash stood up. "How about some food and drinks? I've got a bunch of other people coming over later so I was gonna start cooking up some grub. I'm a vegetarian, but I think my dad has some meat in the fridge?"

"I'm a vegetarian too!" Fluttershy chirped, her face brightening. "I don't mind helping you in the kitchen."

"Oooh, I can help, too!" Pinkie said with a little hop and her hand in the air.

"Whatever you come up with ought to be fine, Sass. We're not too picky," Rainbow assured her. "Actually, I was wondering if I could invite our other friends over? They might be busy, but I'd hate to leave 'em out."

Sass nodded. "No problemo!" Then she gestured for Fluttershy and Pinkie to follow her. "Come on! With the three of us, this meal ought to be a snap."

Rainbow did a double take when she heard Pinkie ask, just before the screen door shut behind them: "So what new position did you and Caramel try?"

The tomboy shook her head and sat down next to Rarity on the porch swing, making it sway back and forth gently. Tank had started a contemplative journey on the porch, his little head raised and turning side to side as he took in his new surroundings.

Rainbow coughed. "Er, sorry about Sass. I know she can be a bit-"

"Crude?" Rarity offered with a crooked smile. "Mm. Yes, I noticed."

"She really isn't trying to be a jerk. I think she was just testing the waters to see what you guys are cool with talking about. Now that she knows it bothers you, she'll mind her manners."

"You needn't worry, Dashie. I think Sass is fun, in a _risqué_ sort of way." Rarity pushed Rainbow lightly at the shoulder, procuring a grin from her seat mate. "And don't you go treating me as if I'm some delicate aristocrat, Rainbow Dash! I am perfectly capable of adapting to my surroundings!"

"Well you better!" Rainbow returned with a snicker. "Because some of the rest of our team are coming over, and we can get a little rowdy!"

Rarity smiled and daintily held up a hand. _C'est la vie._

Dash's grin faded and she leaned back, one elbow resting on the back of the bench. "You feeling okay, though?"

Rarity clicked her tongue, her eyes narrowing as she glared across the front lawn at nothing in particular. "I suppose I'm going to keep hearing that question until this 'sleepwalking' trouble is settled, aren't I?"

"Yep. Better get used to it."

The fashionista shook her head, her glossy indigo locks sweeping her ivory shoulders. "Pinkie told me she informed you of the incident that likely led to this."

Rainbow heaved a rough breath, the stress and dilemmas of the week escaping her like steam from a lidded pot of boiling water. "She did tell me. I hope you weren't too upset with her? Shy and I were really worried."

Rarity turned over a hand and quirked an eyebrow. "I didn't swear her to secrecy on that count. She kept quiet for a long time, even when the situation clearly warranted intervention." Her lips pressed together briefly before she turned her gaze down to to the sun hat in her lap. Her hands clenched the brim tightly.

"Rainbow we have these… these special abilities, yes? We can do such wondrous things! I wanted so badly to share the radiance I felt inside me. To help others bring the beauty that's within, without." Rarity started to chew on the corner of her lip, then a hand rose up halfway as if she were startled before her mouth puckered and she ceased what was apparently an undesirable habit.

She looked at Rainbow, her eyes moist, but her jaw tight like she was fighting to keep some composure. "I was at a fashion function downtown. I lost track of time and the hour grew late. I was able to call for a taxi, but apparently there was a bit of a wait. I thought I was safe." Her brow furrowed and she looked down, through the porch to the meat of her memory. "The street was well lit. There was a restaurant nearby that was open and I could hear a live band. A couple was walking on the other side of the street, away from me. I even saw a police car pass by at one point."

Rarity shuddered, her eyes widening. "But I was near an alley opening. He grabbed me from behind. Oh Dashie, I couldn't even _hear_ him!"

Rainbow's fists clenched, her nails biting into her palms, but she kept quiet.

"He threw me up against a wall and hit me in my solar plexus so I wouldn't yell. It was perhaps a full minute before I could even take a breath," Rarity continued. "He forced a knife into my throat and ripped my purse away from me. When I tried to reason with him- 'What do you want, I'll give you whatever you need!' - he backhanded me." Rarity closed her eyes, her face tensing into a mask of stress and trauma. "Then while I was reeling, he pushed me down into a pile of garbage bags and fled. Rainbow Dash," her words frayed. She took a breath and tried again, with almost exaggerated composure. "I didn't move. I didn't get up. _Couldn't_. I was so frightened. I hid in that wretched, _foul_ smelling garbage until I was certain he was gone, then I went to the restaurant and called for help!"

"You have nothing to be ashamed of," Rainbow half-snarled. "He ambushed you! It's not your fault he was a scumbag!"

"Isn't it?" Rarity bit back. "I have the power to conjure up impenetrable diamond shields. I can shoot magical gemstone constructs at my enemies until they are _buried_. Rainbow Dash, the simple fact is, I froze."

"You were protecting us. Our secret. Not using your powers doesn't mean-"

"I froze," Rarity hissed again, her gaze sharpening. "And I won't again. I refuse to be anyone's victim!"

"What does that even mean, dude?" Rainbow asked, her face screwing up at where her mind took her. She didn't like the destination of her thoughts. Not for Rarity. "You're all about, like, _giving_ to people. Don't let these goons turn you into something else. They aren't worth it." When she felt her words were hitting a wall, Rainbow reached out and hugged her friend around the shoulders with one arm. "Hey," she said gently. "Rares, seriously. You'll get through this. _We'll_ get through this. All of us. Together." When Rarity's lip trembled a little, Rainbow found herself relieved to see this crack in the tough facade. She didn't like the angry, distrustful edge to her friend's eye, and though tears were certainly awkward territory for her, it was better than this foreign self-hatred and mistrust.

She gave Rarity a little squeeze and said with a grin, "We're here to party, right? Let's enjoy ourselves! Show us peasants how to kiki with class!"

Rarity laughed, delicately wiping at her eyes.

* * *

Entering the house brought them into the main foyer, where to the left was an open entryway into the living room, and to the right an open doorway to the dining room, from which the other girls clearly could be heard in the neighboring kitchen. A set of stairs led up to the second floor, and straight ahead there was another open entryway. Rainbow paused to peek into the living room, Tank in her hands. Rarity gazed at her curiously for a moment before going to join the others.

Dash stepped further into the room's modest space- it had two slate blue sofa chairs and a loveseat around a modest widescreen TV on a small entertainment station- then pulled out her phone.

With a few quick taps of her thumb on the touchscreen, she had started a message.

 **R:** Hey guys! Me, Flutters, Pinks, & Rares r at this shindig my VC's house. She said u guys r welcome! We're probz gonna b here a long while so come over if u can

After adding the street address, she moved on to the recipients. She paused. Twilight was an easy one to add, but the other two… Was Sunset even ok to respond? Where was she? And was it really a good idea to have Applejack around her and Fluttershy after she'd just learned they were dating? Maybe seeing them together would just upset her?

Then Rainbow's mouth set into a hard line. She added Sunset and Applejack to the recipient list and hit 'send'.

 _I'm tired of worrying. We're all friends and they either come or they don't. Tonight's supposed to be about fun!_

She put her phone back into her pocket and left the living room. She turned left down the hall to the other open entryway, keen on exploring the house further before joining the others. The polished wooden floorboards creaked beneath her sneakers as she went. Passing through the entryway, she found a family room that was much bigger than the living room.

It had an almost sitcom-clean look to it that made Dash chuckle as she pressed in deeper for a better look. The house plants were all real and healthy, potted in cool blue pots that went well with the forest green couches, polished mahogany coffee table, and large coffee cream area rug. She whistled at the wall-mounted ninety-eight inch TV, the surround sound speakers installed strategically around the room. The rear windows had creamy and satin curtains pulled gently apart, filling the room with natural light as they offered a clear view of the patio and the large backyard. Adjacent to all this in a corner was a long entertainment cabinet where various old players sat- one for CDs, DVDs, and even VHSes.

Rainbow's eyes twinkled as she knelt by this, her ear tickling with the conversation trickling in from the partially open door leading into the kitchen, just right of the entryway she had just come from. Behind the glass doors, she could see VHS tapes for treasured family memories, each meticulously labeled. One was dated almost fifteen years ago and apparently contained footage for Sassaflash's first overseas trip to Africa. Another, from just three years ago, was Sass' prom night. Rainbow carefully balanced Tank on one thigh, then opened the cabinet and reached for this tape.

"Hey!" Sass barked behind her.

Dash yelped, the tape fumbling in her hands before she grabbed it and hugged it to her chest. Guiltily she turned her head to see her vice captain standing in the now open doorway to the kitchen. Behind her, the other girls were giggling and chatting as they busied themselves with whatever they were helping to cook.

"So," Sassaflash went on, lacing her hands behind her back. "Trying to find something embarrassing to dig up?"

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Maaaaybe?"

"Good luck! I'm pretty much cool with anything you find. Just stay out of my parents' room, 'kay? That's down the left hallway from here." Sass winked. "But y'know, don't blame me if your girlfriend decides she'd rather take a slice of this vegetarian goddess because _you're_ too busy snooping around!" Sassaflash skipped back towards the kitchen. "Oh, Fluttershyyy!"

Red in the face, Rainbow quickly replaced the VHS tape, scooped Tank under her arm like he was a basketball, and followed. They were going to be here a while. As badly as Rainbow Dash wanted to uncover details about her vice captain's colorful past, she _was_ here to hangout.

Preferably _right next_ to her cute and gullible girlfriend.

* * *

Tank had been set up in the upstairs bathroom with a fresh bowl of salad and some water. Some of the rest of the soccer team had arrived. Among them, Spitfire, whom Rainbow Dash was very happy to see, because she could _not take one more word about vegetarian diet_.

"I made zucchini bread, once!" Pinkie Pie announced as she pulled out a freshly baked cheesy broccoli and rice casserole with bright yellow mittens. "It was a little heavy though."

"How much flour did you use?" Sass asked, her eyes keen and bright.

"I was using a _huge_ baking dish, so five cups. Then I tried using oat milk, only it seemed so _thin_ , so I added-"

Rainbow Dash grabbed an amused Spitfire and a reluctant Fluttershy, dragging them into the dining room where she collapsed into a high back stained oak chair at the end of the rectangular table. The midfielder calmly seated herself adjacent to her captain, her smirk broadening into a grin. Fluttershy sat at her other side taking hold of her hand and squeezing it gently.

"Had enough of that, eh cap?" Spitfire asked teasingly. She had her aviator glasses pushed up atop her combed back hair. Her eyes flickered to their clasped hands and her grin grew a little.

"Aw dude, I'm _so_ done!" Rainbow groaned. She waved an absent greeting as more members of the team filtered in through the front door. She was starting to feel underdressed. The other girls had changed into nicer digs than what they had brought to practice. It made her wonder just how 'small' this party was actually going to be.

"Sass says she's got some party games on her game console. Want to try one?" Spitfire stood up.

"What games?" Rainbow asked, her expression brightening as she sat up. Almost without thinking, she took Fluttershy's hand in both of hers and kneaded it softly with her fingers. She flashed her girlfriend a grin at the happy hum this elicited.

Spitfire crossed her arms and looked openly between them now, a full smile on her lips. "There's that game that's just a bunch of mini-games-"

"Pass."

"A trivia game-"

"Hard pass."

"And I think some fighting games and a dance game."

Rainbow shrugged non-committal. "Those sound better." Her eyes were still on Fluttershy.

Spitfire gave a thumbs up and started for the kitchen again. "Lemme ask Sass where it all is and I'll get it booted up."

When the other girl had gone, Rainbow turned her chair, and with an assertive tug, turning Fluttershy's as well so that they were better facing each other. She scooted closer, stifling a laugh at how the other girl squeaked and tugged at the hem of her green skirt. When their knees were brushing each other's, she leaned forward and took hold of Fluttershy's hand again.

"You having fun?" she asked.

"Oh my, yes!" Fluttershy said, also leaning in. She had a slight blush on her cheeks. "Sassaflash is very nice."

"Yeah." Rainbow turned Fluttershy's hand over and trailed a deliberate finger down her wrist and into her open palm. She repeated this and murmured next, "Still, I'm wondering if maybe we shouldn't have just gone and done our own thing?"

"Y-You're not having fun?" Fluttershy's voice had dropped to a breath. She scooted to the edge of her seat so that her bare creamy knees were now between Rainbow's jeaned ones.

"I only got a little bored when you guys started talking about cooking, but I've been enjoying myself. I like having Pinkie and Rares here. It kind of feels like old times." Rainbow smirked and leaned down, planting a kiss onto Fluttershy's wrist.

* * *

At the feel of Rainbow's warm wet lips on her tender wrist, and the cool cascading touch of her prismatic locks as they teased the skin of her knees and inner calves, Fluttershy could feel a warmth flood her from the top of the head down to her toes. Her breathing deepened, her heart pumping hard in her throat, and all she could do was let out a little sigh as her girlfriend kissed next her sweaty palm. She was a little embarrassed just _how_ sweaty it was, but even this anxiety was muted under the sweet sensation of Rainbow's breath streaming over her flushed skin. As if aware of where Fluttershy's mind had gone, the tomboy let out one low laugh before quickly darting her tongue over the salty landscape of Fluttershy's hand.

"Mm. Tasty," she said.

Fluttershy breathed in sharply, her senses igniting with Rainbow's citrus scent, and for a moment she forgot just where she was and what she was doing there. Her mind honed in on the girl in front of her, this provocative force of nature that bewildered, fascinated, and terrified her in dizzying turns-but always holding everything up like a sturdy foundation was Fluttershy's adoration.

It was this adoration that gave her mind courage to consider her _other_ values: kindness and consideration for _all_. They were not alone, and they needed to remember this fact.

Fluttershy wasn't against public displays of affection-hand holding and sweet kisses made her heart do happy somersaults, after all. She wasn't even concerned of others learning she was in a relationship with a girl.

But more intimate displays in front of others, she was less eager for. What if someone walked in on Rainbow Dash all-out _licking_ Fluttershy's skin? Just thinking of how they'd react to this bold desire made her want to sprout wings and fly away. In addition, if this kept up, the animal lover wouldn't be able to resist any more. Her body would start reacting in the most embarrassing ways possible. She needed to get ahead of this before Rainbow, in her recklessness, barreled them to a point of no return.

 _Again._

With just the briefest show of nervous hesitation, Fluttershy took hold of Rainbow Dash's chin and firmly tilted her face up-perhaps with the intention of gently chiding her in that motherly way remarked on by their fellow friends, or to plead desperately and urgently for just a little bit more decorum ( _Pretty please?_ )-but in that split second where the shy girl forgot herself and just who she was dealing with, her girlfriend capitalized.

Rainbow Dash moved deftly: one hand planting itself on Fluttershy's bare knee, the other gripping a shoulder before her lips captured Fluttershy's in an arresting kiss.

Whatever Shy intended to do, it was lost.

Her hand trembled on Rainbow's chin before falling away, only to be caught and held to the other girl's chest, where she marveled at how the tomboy's heart beat hard, just like hers. Dashie pulled away just enough to see into Fluttershy's eyes.

"See?" Rainbow said with a half smile. "You make my heart race. _You_ do that."

Fluttershy swallowed audibly. Then with a shaky grin, she replied, "I suppose you like it that way?"

A wink from the tomboy. "Always."

"Yo!" Sassaflash hollered from the family room. "Who's up for Dance Kingdom 12!?"

Rainbow Dash sat back, her head turning, and Fluttershy did as well, feeling both relieved and disappointed. She was glad no one had walked in on them and become uncomfortable. At the same time, however, she wished she'd been more assertive about her concerns. Relationships were supposed to be about communication, right? _How can Dashie know what I find important if I don't speak up?_ The shy girl sighed as she rose with Rainbow to join the growing group in the other room. _I should try again, the next chance I get._

Halfway down the hall, Fluttershy felt Rainbow's hand find hers. She smiled, feeling a little better.

* * *

The tournament (for it could only be that with so many competitive people in the room) lasted an hour and a half. By the last half hour, the competitors had dwindled down to two groups. Sassaflash, Spitfire and Surprise faced off against Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity. Fluttershy had politely declined participating, but she virtually had a front row seat on the long couch to cheer on her friends.

Sass and her team had just finished putting on a blazing last performance with an "insane" level difficulty song, earning an A+ score.

"Beat that, guys!" Surprise taunted with a flip of her vivid yellow hair.

Rainbow made a show of yawning. "Listen," she said with feigned sleepiness. "This is getting dull. How about we raise the stakes a little and give this competition a more interesting ending, huh? If we win, Sass has to put on one of her family videos from when she was a kid! And yours truly gets to pick!" She was perfectly aware of how big this would be. Since starting up the game, more people had shown up at Sassaflash's house. Her 'little' party was growing. And the sun had only begun to set.

The audience around them-school athletes, their significant others, and their friends-made ooh-ing sounds.

Sassaflash smirked, putting a hand on her cocked hip. "Fine. But if _we_ win, Dashie has to wear the mascot uniform for the rest of the night!"

Rainbow Dash pursed her lips, the only sign of hesitation she dared allow. Was it worth it? Sass' family video could last just a short 30 minutes, but if Rainbow lost this bet, she was going to be stuck in a smelly dragon costume for _at least_ 2 hours before her vice captain let her escape.

Inwardly she sighed. _Can't back out now! We're always in it to win it, aren't we?_

"Deal!" she said, thrusting out her hand. "And if it's a tie?"

Sassaflash took it, grinning wickedly as a small round of applause and hoots broke out around them. "If it's a tie, then you and me sing the school anthem in our underwear. After all..."

"A tie is just another way of losing," the pair said in unison, then laughed.

Sass leaned in. "You sure about this hotshot?" she murmured with a glint in her eye.

"I've already got the tape picked out," Rainbow said with a wink.

"Goooood luuuuck," Sassaflash sing-songed as she went to sit down next to Fluttershy. Rainbow tried (and failed) to hide her annoyed frown when the vice captain put an arm over Fluttershy's shoulders. She knew Sass was straight… it still bugged her though.

 _Nevermind, she's just doing it to throw you off your game!_

Rainbow Dash turned to Rarity and Pinkie Pie as they joined her in the glow of the large television. The fashionista looked flushed, having kicked off her wedge shoes and gracefully pinned her sundress up with a safety pin or two to better allow for those circle kicks and wide stances. Pinkie looked gratingly refreshed, but Rainbow hadn't failed to notice the empty bottles of water and discarded cupcake wrappers near her seat.

Rainbow couldn't have asked for better partners.

"All right, guys. Last dance. Either it's a tie," Rainbow made a face, "Or we _win._ "

"We win, of course!" Rarity scoffed. She fanned herself delicately with a hand. "We're performers, aren't we? We couldn't possibly concede to amateurs!" The tomboy managed to bite back a groan at Rares snobby golf pronunciation- _am-uh-toors._

"Look we gotta get an A++ score at least. What standbys do we have left?" Rainbow said, picking up a game controller from the carpet in front of the TV. She scrolled down the game's song list until she found a melodic metal song she'd done a few times. "'Total Eclipse of the Angel?'"

"I'm all for making my arms and legs feel like grape jam, but I dunno if that's gonna help us win, Dashie," Pinkie said behind her.

Dash sighed and moved on. "'Book Boogie?'" She grimaced. It was Twilight's favorite, but they'd done the dance enough times to be familiar with it.

Rarity moaned. "Oh not that one! I _loathe_ the fiddle sections and their blasted jigs."

Rainbow shot her friends a look. "Well we gotta pick one guys!" She should have known that playing the game for over an hour would make selecting a new song all _three_ of them knew quite the challenge.

"What's the matter, Dashie?" Spitfire teased from her seat next to Sassaflash. "Gotta forfeit?"

"Hush you!" Rainbow shot back. She looked at her friends. "Don't tell me we gotta pick something not all of us know?"

"Um…" the tomboy felt a tug on her shirt and turned around to see Fluttershy had risen from her seat. She was slouching as the room's attention started to turn her way, but she didn't hide in her hair. Her skin was turning a nice shade of pink to match, though. Rainbow pursed her lips at the interruption but leaned in close. Fluttershy took a breath and whispered, "Don't you remember that time I uploaded one of our songs to your game account for the Dance Kingdom indie talent contest?"

Rainbow's eyes widened. "Oh yeah! We used 'Shake Things Up' for that!" She frowned. "But we didn't win the contest, Shy. Besides, that was for Dance Kingdom _11_. This is 12."

"Yes, but even though we didn't win the contest, it was still available as a free download along with the other runner-ups!" Fluttershy turned and cocked her head to one side. Twirling her hair with one finger, she asked Sassaflash, "Pardon me, but do you happen to own Dance Kingdom 11 as well?"

Sass blinked owlishly. "Uh, yes?"

Rainbow Dash actually had to have Rarity close her mouth for her.

Fifteen minutes later, and they had Dance Kingdom 11 on with 'Shake Things Up' downloaded.

As Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie tried to remind each other of the dance choreography the developers had given their song (a controversial topic amidst their group as not everyone enjoyed all the hip gyration and hair tossing) Sassaflash stepped in front of the TV and threw her hands up into the air. "Is no one going to point out how our soccer captain and her friends have a freaking song on Dance Kingdom!?"

Pinkie grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, college sorta made us forget."

Rarity nodded grimly. "Exams."

"Besides," Rainbow added with a lopsided smile. "One: It's just part of the game as a DLC. Two: We didn't even win the contest _or_ get a music deal out of it. Far as I'm concerned, it wasn't worth mentioning!"

"It mattered to me," Fluttershy mumbled with a pout from the couch.

Sassaflash squealed, her hands flying to her mouth. She rushed to the animal lover's side and hugged her head to her chest. "Oh there, there sweetie! Don't listen to your mean old girlfriend! She's a butthead! _Of course_ it matters!" Fluttershy stared wide-eyed through the other girl's arms, her body not stopping at turning pink but fire hydrant red this time.

Rainbow Dash felt her face flush hot. "Wha-what? No, that's not what I meant Flutters!"

"Quiet, you _monster!_ " Sass spat at her with over-the-top disgust.

"Whatever! Let go of my girl, please!"

The only response she received was a stuck out tongue. Fluttershy started to lift a hand, then gave up with a little sigh. There was scattered laughter.

Dash ground her teeth. Hard. With not a little effort, she turned back to her friends. "Let's kick some tail, girls. Start the song!"

Pinkie did the honors, tapping a button on the game controller before setting it down and hurrying into place. Rainbow Dash was in front with Rarity and Pinkie slightly behind at either side.

" _Same old, same old_  
 _Same old story, same situation_  
 _Same old, same old_  
 _Goin' out of my mind_

 _I know, I know_  
 _Life's too short_  
 _Gotta stand for somethin'_  
 _I know, I know_  
 _How to turn things around_

 _Drop the beat now_  
 _Shake things up now_  
 _Spice it up, stir it up_  
 _Everybody mix it up_

 _Drop the beat now_  
 _Shake things up now_  
 _Spice it up, stir it up_  
 _Everybody giddyup"_

Two minutes of Applejack's singing later and an S ranking displayed on the screen, eliciting a loud cheer from the room.

Rainbow Dash wiped the sweat from her brow and with her other hand high-fived Rarity and Pinkie Pie who were equally exerted. "That was awesome girls! Nice work." She then looked down victoriously on a grinning Sassaflash. The vice captain wasn't annoyed or nervous like she'd expected. She just appeared amused. _Delighted_ even.

"Okay Rainbow Dash," Sass said as she stood up. "A deal's a deal. Which tape do you want to put on?"

Rainbow Dash put her hands on her hips as her other friends went to get a drink from the kitchen, her fellow soccer players and other guests congratulating them on their way. The tomboy had initially wanted to put on Sass's prom video, thinking it would be embarrassing, but knowing her vice captain, she probably had on a smoking hot outfit and that _dope_ Caramel as her date. _Totally not interested in that_ , Rainbow thought with a grimace. Then she remembered the other video tape she had seen.

Turning, Rainbow went to the entertainment cabinet and pulled out the VHS tape of Sassaflash's trip to Africa fifteen years ago. "How about this one? I wanna see what you were like when you were a kid."

Blinking curiously, Sass came over. Her eyes widened at the tape's label. "Woah! I forgot we even had this!" Then her face lit up with a smile that rivaled Pinkie's. "You put this on, I'll be right back!"

Before Rainbow could ask what she was up to, Sassaflash vaulted over the back of the long couch (startling Fluttershy in the process) and ran down the hallway towards the staircase.

"Okaaaay?" Rainbow said with an arched eyebrow. She held the tape up victoriously and said in a loud voice. "Who's ready for a look at mini-Sass!"

There were some coos from some of the soccer team, but mostly some encouraging applause. Spitfire popped up from her seat and held her hand out.

"Here, I'll put it on. When I was getting Dance Kingdom set up, I think I saw the stuff to connect the VCR," she said.

Rainbow gladly handed over the tape. "Better you than me!"

Feeling weary, the soccer captain went and flopped down next to Fluttershy. "Hey, sorry I made it out like your song getting into Dance Kingdom wasn't a big deal. It totally was!"

"That's okay," Fluttershy said with a little smile.

Dash felt her phone buzz and took it out of her pocket. Short-pressing the power button showed that she'd just received a message from Twilight Sparkle. The lock screen also indicated there was an additional, hidden message.

Swiping on the screen, Rainbow opened Twilight's text.

 **TS:** I can come if you or someone else can give me a ride back home, please? I WAS gonna work on my joint physics project, but without Sunset I can't make much progress, so I may as well have fun with my friends.

Rainbow tapped a quick reply.

 **R:** I can give you a ride home! You taking a taxi or something?

 **TS:** Yep! I'll text when I'm close.

"Twilight's coming over," Rainbow said to Fluttershy as she pressed back on her phone's screen to see her full message list.

"How wonderful!" Shy remarked.

Rainbow Dash sat up straight and her eyes went wide. "Geez, finally!"

"What is it?" The tomboy turned the phone so that Fluttershy could see too. The shy girl's eyes went wide. "Oh!"

Sunset Shimmer had been the one to text earlier. Probably while they were doing their dance off.

 **SSh:** I'm pretty tired, but I can stop by 4 a few. Dunno when I'll get there. I'm sure u got questions

Rainbow Dash replied:

 **R:** Darn right! We've all been worried about u dude!

She stared at the screen along with Fluttershy, hoping Sunset would reply just as quickly as Twilight had, but after a solid minute passed, Spitfire began to shout to the room with a voice that clearly came from her experiences in the military. With a puckered mouth, Rainbow put her phone away.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! I present to you a rare glimpse into my roommate and vice captain's childhood!" She brandished the tape with a smirk, then stooped down and pushed the tape into the VCR she'd just hooked up.

Someone with the TV remote changed the input to A/V, and the fuzzy buzz of the tape's audio track could be heard as the machine hummed and clicked loudly before playing the tape forward. It took a moment as twitching white lines of interference washed over the screen like sea foam from ocean waves. Then video blinked into existence. A tall blonde woman standing with a petite little girl that bore a strong resemblance to her, both standing in front of what looked like a dark entrance into a carved stone structure. The stone looked like sandstone-light but warm in color, washed by the glow of the sun that shone down in full brilliance from a high position in the sky.

Rainbow snickered as she put an arm around Fluttershy and pulled her close.

From the TV, a male voice off-camera began to speak in an announcer voice: "It's time for yet another riveting adventure with the Flash family overseas! Here with me are the daring Parasol and Sassaflash, both of whom are about to delve into the deep cool depths of the famous Pyramid of Somnambula, a world wonder believed to have been erected around 3000 BCE-"

"Dad!" Sassaflash snapped with a stomp of her little foot. The room broke out in ' _awwws'_. The little girl started to stalk toward the camera as a man chuckled nervously behind it. "How many times do I have to tell you, this pyramid was built around 2500 BCE!"

The camera dipped, showing a man's scrawny hairy legs rooted in rugged outdoor boots. "Oh honey, I'm only off by a little!"

"That's 500 years you're forgetting! Whole _civilizations_ rose and fell in that span of time."

"Well hon, this was just for fun, it hardly needs to be-"

The video cut abruptly to the family inside the pyramid, where carefully installed lights illuminated with soft mystique the carved out tunnels. Sassaflash pointed at some hieroglyphics.

"This says, 'One of perfect hope, who uplifts the oppressed'," she said with certainty worthy of Twilight Sparkle.

The video continued to jump a lot, from looking at statues to close-ups of little Sass' wide-eyed wonder. As the living room devolved into squeals and laughter, Sassaflash's voice suddenly boomed from the hallway.

"Prepare yourselves, peasants! Your queen is coming!"

Rainbow and Fluttershy both craned their heads to see the small crowd behind the couch part to reveal the vice captain. She was dressed in an elaborate Cleopatra costume, her head tilted back and her hand waving regally. Her light yellow hair was concealed beneath a silky black wig, and she'd put on heavy eye makeup to give herself a more "ancient Egyptian" look.

Whistles and applause broke out. Spitfire ejected the tape, it having lost the interest of those in the room to this latest spectacle. Sassaflash smiled and gave a small bow of her head with eyes closed. Then her smile pulled back even further to reveal her tongue caught between her teeth as she pretended to peek around at them with one squinted eye.

Rainbow cupped her hands around her mouth. "Egghead!"

Sassaflash snorted into laughter. She leaned onto the back of the couch and gestured at her costume, chuckles still wracking her body. "Come on! I make a great Egyptian queen!"

"You look lovely, Sassaflash," Fluttershy said.

Rarity, no doubt drawn by the call of fashion, suddenly materialized beside Sass and gushed. "Good grief, woman, you look _smashing!_ Who made this superb _ensemble?_ "

"I did, actually." Sassaflash fidgeted. She picked delicately at the hem. "Here, see? I tried hemming this by hand with a catch stitch, but I sucked at it so-"

"Tut tut," Rarity scolded, "This shows great care and effort, my dear! Why didn't you mention you were into costume making?"

Sassaflash was pink in the face now. "You're being way too generous!"

"That's basically her thing," Rainbow said with a grin.

"I assure you, I am not merely giving you empty praise. You show promise in fashion design!" Rarity insisted with a passionate flash of her eyes.

"I dabbled in making my own clothes while I was a fashion model," Sass admitted. "But after my mom pulled me out of it, I just sorta stopped. I still make my own Halloween costumes though… like this one from senior year of high school."

"Looks good, man," Rainbow finally admitted. "Maybe you can make mine this year?"

Sassaflash seemed to relax at this, her smile turning relieved. "Thanks, Dashie. Maybe." She placed her hands on her hips and said with enough sass to do her name proud, "And for your information, Ancient Egypt was _awesome_ , so if me pulling off this costume and still being able to list off its historical capitals makes me an 'egghead' then I am proud to be one." She flipped the hair of her wig and struck a dramatic pose. "After all, a queen of history must know of the people she once ruled!" Her eyes widened and she looked around. "Speaking of ruling things… Where the heck is Pinkie Pie?"

Dropping her regal act altogether, Sassaflash cupped a hand to her mouth and hollered, "YO! Pinkie Pie! I want a rock paper scissors rematch! This is for the crown!"

Rainbow Dash laughed as she watched Sass and a small group of their fellow soccer players go in search of Pinkie Pie. As the crowd that had milled about began to disperse, Rainbow stood to her feet and held out her hand to Fluttershy. "The food's been ready for a while. Wanna grab a bite?"

* * *

They went to the kitchen and waited in a short line to get a plate of the dwindling vegetarian casserole that Sass and the others had made. The people in the room thinned till only another couple was standing at the other end of the counter, chatting animatedly about next week's soccer match. Fluttershy was quite glad for a chance to eat-all the hullabaloo really stirred up her appetite. She spooned one large slice onto her plate, paused, then sliced off a fourth of it and put it back into the baking dish.

"Hey Flutters," Rainbow said from behind her. Shy turned around to see her girlfriend holding up a light glass bottle filled with a rosy yellow liquid. She couldn't read the label, but it looked like- "One of the team brought some wine. There's beer and cider too in a cooler over in the dining room, if you'd prefer those. The cider's even from AJ's farm. You want some?"

Drinking wasn't unknown to their group, but it was certainly an uncommon affair. Starting from their junior year of high school, Applejack would bring out a batch of her family's hard cider for special occasions. She only ever did this at the farm, and always under the watchful eye of Granny Smith, who only ever allowed for their weaker cider to be shared. As for anyone getting drunk? Very rare indeed. But then again, the animal lover wasn't sure if these habits had increased for any of her friends since starting college. They certainly hadn't for her. If anything she'd been 'dry' for almost two years now.

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Oh. I don't know…" _Should I? We have Psych in the morning. Oh, but surely one glass wouldn't hurt!_

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Okay." She set the bottle down on the counter. "I'm not drinking cuz some of the others might need a DD tonight, so I thought I'd just let you know… if you wanted to, you can." She smirked. "Just promise me you won't go climbing trees again."

The animal lover blushed. "I only did that once," she mumbled, letting her hair curtain forward.

A small chuckle. "It's one of my strongest memories. Know why?"

Dash stepped in close, pulling back Fluttershy's hair and kissing her cheek. She whispered near her ear. "Because while you were up there, I had a great view."

Fluttershy let out a little gasp, her skin flushing red. Rainbow Dash laughed and hugged her. "Hey, hey! Don't freak on me, featherbrain. I think I was the only one who noticed then." She stroked Fluttershy's hair. "Now that I think about it, even then, I think I was trying not to feel things for you…" Her voice grew quiet and distant. A pang of regret?

The shy girl pulled back to look in her girlfriend's rose-pink eyes. Rainbow Dash gave her a little squeeze, her smile shrinking. "I wish I hadn't been so worried about keeping things the same between us," she murmured.

"We're here now. Together," Fluttershy said gently, stroking Rainbow's face.

Rainbow caught her hand and kissed the palm, her smile flaring wide again. "Yeah." She winked, "So like I said, if you have a drink or two, no tree climbing 'kay? You're wearing a skirt today."

Fluttershy could feel her blush return, but even as she buried her face in Rainbow's neck, a little smile was on her lips.

They stayed that way until a loud ruckus could be heard outside, coming from the front lawn. Fluttershy pulled away, blinking curiously as Rainbow Dash moved toward the dining room to peer out its windows.

"What the heck?" Rainbow said. "Aw _man_. That's just great." She lightly struck the entryway with her palm.

"What is it?" Fluttershy went to stand next to her, and when she looked through the windows, she saw that there had been a sudden influx of cars, with some people still vying for parking. On the front lawn, Sassaflash had gone out to greet a tall boy with light brown hair and a yellow polo shirt. Sass had her arms crossed, the boy clasping his hands and hunching as he pleaded. Approaching behind him were a rowdy group of young men, laughing and shoving each other. One boy tried to jump on another's back, and they tumbled to the ground, laughing hard. Brown bottles were gripped in their hands, the liquid spilling onto the grass and their clothes. Sass gestured at them with disgust and threw her hands up.

"That's Caramel and his herd of frat bros from Alpha Epsilon," Rainbow Dash explained. "It's an Arts and Entertainment fraternity so they are _super obnoxious_." she said this last bit through her teeth.

"Sassaflash looks unhappy," Fluttershy remarked.

"Heck, I wouldn't be either! She wanted this to be a chill party with close friends, and now her boyfriend's bringing his goon squad?"

Fluttershy heard Pinkie Pie speak behind them. "Are those guys who I think they are?"

Shy and Rainbow turned to see Pinkie gazing past them to the scene outside. Her expression was inscrutable. The front door opened and a new flood of booming male voices could be heard cutting through the party's dull roar.

"What's up _laaaaadies!_ Alpha Epsilon has arrived!" a boy shouted.

Rainbow closed her eyes as a look of suffering pulled her features down. "Does that answer your question, Pinkie?"

Fluttershy flinched. "M-maybe they'll make things more fun?"

"I know you're just trying to be nice Shy, but these guys are walking natural disasters," Rainbow said with a shake of her head. "Their parties are zoos. They'll trash Sass' place." She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Damn it. She's gonna need help keeping things from getting out of hand. If it was just party crashers, she'd kick 'em out without batting an eye, but since Caramel is here she'll probably cave and let 'em stay a while." The tomboy growled. "Urgh, he's such an idiot!"

"I'm sure if Sassaflash talks to them, they can come to an understanding. Right, Pinkie?" Fluttershy turned, but Pinkie Pie was gone.

Instead, her voice could be heard booming from the living room. " _Are you guys ready to party!?"_ There was a cheer. " _Are you guys ready to raise the noise!?_ " Another cheer, louder. " _Are you guys ready to get down like moles in the ground!?_ " She received some bewildered responses, nevertheless people still clapped and whistled.

Rainbow Dash started for the doorway to the family room. "Aw geez, Pinks! We don't need you hypin' up the frat boys!"

Fluttershy followed closely, her hands wringing. _Oh dear._

As they pressed into the growing sea of bodies, she could feel the anxiety start to gnaw away at her insides. It wasn't that she didn't like parties, or even crowds. Attention was more the thing that got to her. But this was starting to feel… wild, like an uncontrollable fire being whipped up by fast winds.

And at the heart of it was Pinkie Pie, an almost manic grin on her face.

* * *

Pinkie Pie was standing on the coffee table, a fist in the air as if she was resisting some tyrannical regime against partying. With authority, she snapped her fingers and pointed at Spitfire. "Let's get some tunes!"

Spitfire held her hands up, her aviator glasses sliding down to show a bemused look in her eyes. "Me? Again? Why do I have to hook up everything?" When Pinkie failed to stop pointing at her, the older girl sighed and went for the entertainment cabinet.

Rainbow Dash brushed and slid past the dense group of people that had collected into the family room. Many of whom she assumed were the newly arrived frat boys, but many others she realized she didn't have the slightest clue who they were with or when they even got there. On top of that, she only saw maybe two other soccer team members besides Spitfire in the room.

 _Man that dancing game really put the blinders on me,_ she thought as she approached Pinkie on the coffee table. _So many people are here! Were some of them outside, and that's the only reason we didn't notice sooner?_

"Pinkie Pie, this might not be the best time to do this!" Rainbow said to her friend.

Pinkie put her hands on her hips and chuckled like one did when a child said something naive. " _Au contraire,_ Dashie! This is the perfect time to turn on some tunes!"

Rainbow threw her hands up. "What are you talking about? These guys are crazy and they need to go!"

The pink-haired girl hopped down off the coffee table as Spitfire managed to start some music- a throwback hip hop track that had been popular a few years ago. This earned some applause as people started dancing and singing along to the lyrics.

Pinkie put her hands on Rainbow's shoulders and said with a smile, "Sometimes, the best way to handle icky stuff is to just throw your hands up and dance." She gestured at a group of Alpha Epsilon boys who had started bobbing their heads to the music. "When people are having fun, they work with you better."

Rainbow frowned. "Yeah, but you're assuming these guys have the same ideas of 'fun' as we do." This earned a laugh in response.

"Dashie, we won't know till we try! Besides, I think Alpha Epsilon would get a _teensy_ bit crazy if they didn't have anything else to do besides drink."

The tomboy pursed her lips. It wasn't an illogical idea. She just wasn't sure it was worth the risk. What if the frat boys got too comfortable and overstayed their welcome? If it were up to her, she'd have them all tossed out onto the street right that second.

Apparently her concerns weren't shared by the rest of the partygoers. On the other hand, a glance at Fluttershy said the girl was just as uncomfortable, if not moreso. Rainbow held a hand out to her girlfriend, and she felt a small sense of relief when the shy girl sought shelter in her arms.

Pinkie clapped Rainbow on the back, "Rainbow have fun! You too, Fluttershy. You're both stressed, I can tell. You know what the cure for stress is?"

Rainbow smirked sardonically. "A good party?" she replied flatly.

"Yep!" Pinkie Pie smiled and waved. "I'm-" she broke off, her eyes fluttering, before she said in a slightly higher voice, "Gonna take care of something. 'Kay? Byeeeee."

Rainbow Dash blinked as she watched Pinkie vanish into the crowd. "Take care of something? What does Pinkie need to 'take care of' right now?"

"I don't know," Fluttershy said, her head on Rainbow's shoulder. "I could be imagining it, but Pinkie is acting a little funny."

"A little," Rainbow agreed. She looked down to see Flutters peering up at her with quiet affection. The tomboy felt her heart jump pleasantly. "Soooo…" she shrugged and looked around them. "Looks like this has become a dance floor."

Fluttershy's pretty blue eyes went wide. "Oh!" She started to blush, and Rainbow could practically feel the heat burning her through her clothes. "D-Did you want to, t-to-?"

"Dance? I mean, we could." Rainbow Dash could start to feel a blush coming over her own features, much to her own annoyance. "Y'know, whatever. Do you even like this song?"

"It's fine?"

"You don't sound so sure."

Fluttershy bit her lip and fidgeted, her body moving nicely against Rainbow's. _Aw geez, don't do that Flutters. You'll make me crazy!_

"I've never been partial to hip hop?" Shy finally managed to say. More like squeak.

"Let's ask Spitfire if we can find something else. I'm sure Sass' has more CDs." She started to pull Fluttershy toward the entertainment cabinet where Spitfire was still squatted down, rifling through the CD collection.

But Fluttershy held her back. "No, wait! I don't want to be a bother. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "It's not a big deal, Flutters. People make song requests at parties all the time!"

Fluttershy twirled a lock of her hair and looked down at her shoes. "I think-" A dancing couple bumped into her from behind, making her squeal.

"Hey, watch it!" Rainbow said, stepping forward, but her girlfriend quickly slid between her and the couple (the boy had paused his dancing to glare as well).

"Dashie, it's okay! I'm okay! I just-" she took a breath. "Maybe I'll take you up on that offer for a drink now? _Please?_ "

Rainbow Dash took an extra moment to stare hard at the couple before allowing herself to meet Fluttershy's eyes. She nodded.

Taking her girlfriend's hand, the pair navigated their way back to the kitchen. There they found Caramel with Sassaflash, who was still in her cleopatra costume, but minus the wig. Rainbow managed to swallow down a groan at the sight of her vice captain's boyfriend, and instead chose to focus on pouring Fluttershy a glass of moscato.

"Fluttershy, this is my boyfriend, Caramel," Sass said behind Rainbow.

"It's nice to meet you, Caramel. Sassaflash was, er… Telling us about you earlier." Rainbow winced as she set the wine bottle back down, her mind having no doubt made the same realization Flutters had: Sass had talked about Caramel all right. It was mostly about his performance in bed.

When Rainbow Dash turned and handed Fluttershy her glass of wine, she was disgusted to see a smug look of knowing on Caramel's face.

"You sure do like to brag about me, huh babe?" he said squeezing his arm around Sass' shoulders.

Sassaflash gave him a lukewarm smile, obviously still sore about his part in his fraternity's invasion of her home.

 _Maybe they'll break up again_ , Rainbow thought hopefully. _For_ good _this time._

When she put an arm over Fluttershy's shoulders, Caramel's eyes widened. "Oh! Are you two-"

"Yeah," Rainbow said with thin lips. "We are."

He nodded slowly, his eyes flickering back and forth between them as he licked his lips. " _Nice._ "

Sassaflash elbowed her boyfriend. "Behave." She looked at Rainbow apologetically. "Sorry, he gets obnoxious when he's had a few."

"Whatever, I'm fine!" Caramel snapped.

"Not really," Sassaflash said under her breath. Before the boy could respond, she said to Rainbow Dash, "Listen, if you two need a breather, you'll have better luck in one of the upstairs rooms. I'd just knock first, if you get what I mean. There's also the second bathroom up there."

"Thanks, Sass," Rainbow said.

Sassaflash smiled at her, then turned her eyes on Fluttershy. "So you like wine?"

Shy shook her head. "I've never had wine till now."

"What do you think of it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Fluttershy took a sip, a cute little frown on her face. This made Rainbow and the others grin.

"I think… I like it. It reminds me of cider, in a way, which I already know I like," she said. She swished the wine in her glass. "I can hardly taste the alcohol."

"Yeah, I think Rapidfire brought that. Speaking of whom," Sassaflash snapped her fingers and started to pull Caramel toward a door. "Come on! Rapidfire has a new boyfriend I want you to meet."

Caramel dragged his feet behind her as they went through the doorway to the family room. "Who is Rapidfire again?"

"The guy you met from last year's Halloween party? The one who tried to hit on you, which made me so super jealous I almost clawed his eyes out, but then we talked and realized we were practically soul mates? _That_ guy ring any bells?"

"...No?"

"Ugh, Caramel! Just smile and nod, okay?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head as she watched the couple leave. "Glad that's not us, right?" She looked down and her eyebrows rose to see Fluttershy had drained her glass. "Um. You sure you're okay?"

Fluttershy looked at her guiltily as she hugged the empty wine glass to her chest. "Yes? Sorry. I just really want to relax."

"Mmmm'kay," Rainbow gingerly took the glass from her. "How 'bout we take a break from that and see how you feel in a bit?"

"That's probably a good idea," Fluttershy agreed. Her hands started to wring themselves.

Rainbow could feel her brow tense as she set the glass down on the counter, then shifted to stand in front of Flutters. "Is it the crowd, or…?"

"I was fine when it was just your team and some of their friends," Fluttershy admitted reluctantly. "But I've never actually been at a party this large, with so many people I don't know. Some of them are… a little scary to me." She wrung her hands. Her eyes actually started to fill with tears.

Rainbow held Fluttershy's face, her eyes going wide with alarm. "Woah, woah, woah! Fluttershy, hey. It's all right." Then her gaze hardened as a thought occurred to her. She nodded her head toward the empty wine glass. "Babe, you really think you need _that_ to feel okay? Is it that you want to leave? Please, just tell me so! You don't have to go downing drinks to get numb!"

When Fluttershy's chin fell to her chest, sending her hair curtaining forward again, the tomboy sighed. "Flutters, _speak_ to me."

A small squeak.

Rainbow took a deep breath. Already in the last week she'd had to deal with this sudden onset of shyness more times than she could count, so she _supposed_ she was getting better at it. Better at concealing her impatience at least.

"Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said slowly. "I can't hear you."

There was a small pause. Then Fluttershy's voice drifted from behind her glossy pink hair: "Rainbow, I want to be brave enough to tell you what's on my mind. I realize not every time is an opportune moment, but… b-but I also want you to feel like I can _stand_ by you. You want to help Sassaflash. I won't force you to leave just because I'm a little uncomfortable. I was hoping the wine would… would _ease_ my anxiety. Not numb me."

Rainbow Dash's gaze softened. "All right. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I just don't like the idea of you feeling like you _have_ to be under the influence to hang with me. You never did it before, I don't want you to start now!"

Fluttershy fidgeted. "This is our second outing together, I'd hate for you to think I'm a stick in the mud!"

Dash rubbed her arms. "No way," she said. "You're awesome to be with."

Another pause.

"You called me 'babe'," Fluttershy murmured.

Now Rainbow could feel her cheeks burn. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Uh, yeah I guess I did. Is… that okay?"

"Yes," Fluttershy said, a little louder now. She managed to peek at Rainbow through her hair, like a child peeking from beneath their bed covers. "I like it. I just… still can't believe this is really happening. That I'm your girlfriend!"

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Well believe it, featherbrain!" She pulled Fluttershy in close by the hips, then brushed back her hair. The shy girl exhaled shakily, her breath still fragrant with the fruity aroma of moscato. When Dash pressed her lips against her girlfriend's, she felt a relief from tension she hadn't even realized had been there. They stayed like that for a moment before Rainbow pulled away and murmured, "We're together now." She winked. " _Babe._ "

Fluttershy allowed a shy smile to cross her features.

Then a group of young men burst into the kitchen, all clamoring and speaking at once. Upon seeing the two girls together, one of them wolf whistled and the others laughed.

Rainbow Dash could feel her muscles tense but she hadn't caught who had whistled. She settled for glaring at the lot of them before taking Fluttershy's hand and leading her out into the hallway, then straight for the staircase. "Let's go somewhere quiet." Then she turned and smirked already anticipating the blush on her girlfriend's cheeks. "I'll behave, I promise."

The second floor hall light was turned on, but all the doors were closed. _Kinda wish Sass gave me a clue as to which room was which._ Rainbow thought with a grimace. She really honestly just wanted a place to sit and talk to Fluttershy in a chill space. If anything one of the bedrooms was going to be host to… _other_ stuff.

But there was nothing she could do. She had to just knock and hope nothing awkward happened.

There were four doors on the second floor. One door, she recalled, was the bathroom. It was currently occupied by a violently puking boy. Fluttershy couldn't seem to resist asking if Tank was all right, then apologized profusely when the only response she received was the horrible wet sound of the boy emptying his stomach contents. Another door was to the guest bedroom, where someone had been cognizant enough to put a sock on the doorknob. Fluttershy didn't understand why Rainbow didn't bother knocking on that one, which led to a fumbling explanation as to what a sock on a doorknob signified. Both girls were pink by the end of it. It was at the third door that Rainbow paused, her ears pricking at the sound of a familiar voice on the other side.

At her hesitation, Fluttershy touched her arm. "Rainbow? What is it?"

"It's Pinkie," the tomboy replied, blinking at the wood. "She sounds like she's really upset!"

Without even bothering to knock, Rainbow Dash opened the door and pushed her way in. She found she had entered a kind of small office study. Standing in the center of it was Pinkie Pie and a young man Rainbow had never seen before. He had gray blue hair with a lighter blue streak running through it. His eyes were a stormy blue, and they looked dark under his furrowed brow. If he realized others had entered the room, he didn't show it at all. His eyes were fastened onto the pink-haired girl across from him.

"I just don't get why you have to make such a big deal out of it!" he yelled at Pinkie. "It was an accident!"

Tears were streaming down Pinkie's face, but her fists were clenched and her voice was shrill. "That accident had consequences, Party Favor! I thought you cared more than that!?"

"And I thought you just wanted to have _fun!_ " he spat at her. Pinkie flinched, her eyes turning down.

Rainbow didn't need to hear much more to know that she would be happy to kick in this guy's face.

"HEY!" she shouted, stepping forward and shoving Party Favor. He crashed into the L-top desk behind him, and stared at her as if realizing she was there for the first time.

Pinkie Pie stepped forward and held up a hand, just as Fluttershy grabbed Rainbow's arm from behind.

"Dashie, don't!" Pinkie said.

"Rainbow-!" Fluttershy started.

She was cut off when Party Favor shoved off the desk. "I don't have to deal with this." He looked at Pinkie Pie stonily. "When you're ready to let this go, gimme a call." He bumped shoulders with Rainbow on his way out the door.

Rainbow Dash glared after him, then turned and looked at Pinkie. "Was that chump the guy you've been dating?"

Pinkie sighed and nodded. "He came with Alpha Epsilon. We met through my hospitality program."

Fluttershy stepped around Rainbow and hugged her friend. "Pinkie, is there anything we can do for you?"

"What was that about?" Rainbow Dash asked brusquely before she could answer.

Fluttershy looked at her anxiously. "Rainbow, maybe we should-"

"No, I wanna know!" Rainbow Dash snapped. She pointed out the door. "Is Party Favor also the reason why you vanished on Rarity?"

"Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said more firmly. Her back straightened and she had an arm around a limp Pinkie Pie. Mothershy mode. "I don't think this is a good time."

The tomboy crossed her arms. "I just wanna know if that guy hurt her." She glared down at the floor. "It seems like all my friends are getting hurt or having serious problems. I hate it!"

"Hitting that boy may make you feel better for a little while, but would it really help Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy asked gently.

Rainbow felt some of the tension leave her shoulders and arms. She slouched and shook her head reluctantly.

Fluttershy nodded. "Then maybe we should just sit down and-"

"Have fun," Pinkie interjected.

Fluttershy blinked at her. "Pardon?"

Pinkie Pie wiped at her eyes and a smile rolled itself across her face. "This is a party, right? We should have fun!"

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy exchanged looks.

"Pinkie," Rainbow started slowly. "You're obviously upset. We don't have to-"

Pinkie blew a loud raspberry, then giggled. The tomboy winced. She knew Pinkie's laugh. This didn't sound right.

"Rainbow Dash, let's just forget about that yuckiness, huh? Oooh! I know!" Pinkie Pie clapped her hands. "I know what this party needs!"

Now Rainbow's face lengthened. "Pinkie, this party is as crazy as it needs to get. Don't-"

"You'll see, it'll be a blast! Like a _nuclear_ blast! Something that can make us forget about all of our problems!"

"Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said with exaggerated slowness. "I really think it would be better if-"

But the party girl had bounced right out from under her friend's arm and practically twirled her way around Rainbow Dash to the door.

"Just you guys wait and seeeee! You'll love it!" she sang as she vanished down the hallway.

"Oh dear," Fluttershy squeaked again.

Rainbow Dash buried her hands in her hair. "Flutters, we gotta stop her. She's not thinking straight! Did you hear that laugh?"

"She's hurting," Fluttershy said with a grim nod. She wrung her hands. "We should find Rarity. Maybe she can help talk Pinkie down before… before…"

"Before she riles up a mob? Yeah." Rainbow felt her phone buzz in her pocket and pulled it out. She let out a sigh of relief. "Yes!"

"What is it?"

"Twilight's here. Hopefully Sunset shows up soon too." She looked at Fluttershy apologetically. "Flutters, I'm really sorry. Maybe we should've stayed at my dorm and just watched movies and worked on my project. I didn't mean for us to be running around dealing with another problem."

"It's not your fault Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said, taking her hand. "And I'm never sorry to help our friends."

Rainbow lifted her hand and kissed it. "Thanks. Okay, how about this," she thumbed over her shoulder, "I try to find Rarity and Pinkie. You meet Twilight out front. Tell her I'm sorry I'm not the one doing it, but just get her up to speed on the sitch. She can help too." She held up her phone. "Shoot me a text if you can't find me. I'll try to take Pinkie somewhere quiet where we can have a full on intervention. Pinkie's time to handle this on her own is over, the same way Rarity trying to handle her problems alone are over. She's going nuts, and it's going to cause a bunch of other problems."

Fluttershy sighed. "I don't want to pressure her, but she's not handling whatever happened to her very well. Maybe we can just gently remind her that we care about her?"

Rainbow Dash pushed her finger into her eyes. "Yeah, sure. But we can't let her do anything crazy in the meantime." She gestured angrily out the door to the chaos that no doubt awaited them. She even heard glass break as she did so. "We gotta get her to see that what she's trying to do isn't cool! This isn't her party! This isn't her house!"

"Pinkie's in pain, Rainbow. We have to keep that in mind," Fluttershy urged quietly.

Rainbow looked at her, conflicted. She was angry. Angry at Pinkie for being so reckless. Angry at Party Favor for _whatever_ he did. Angry at all the party crashers who turned her chill night of fun into a mad scramble to keep from things getting out of control.

Angry at herself for being a hypocrite.

Accountability? _Honesty?_ Had she demonstrated any of these things in the last week?

"Come on," Rainbow murmured. "Let's keep Sassaflash's house from being wrecked."


	26. Chapter 25

A/N:

Dear reader,

This chapter deals with some really heavy stuff. It could be potentially triggering for some folks, so Argenti Luna and I thought it would be wise to give you a heads up. The issue in question is... (and I'll try to make it easier to scroll past for those who prefer not to know spoilers- doesn't exactly make this easy, so I'm sorry if it doesn't work. I wish I could use spoiler tags.)

mmmmmmmmmmmmiscarriagemmmmmmmmmmm

After you read the chapter, I invite you to check out my blog post on for my full thoughts and why I went this route. It can be found at: fimfiction dot net /blog/873956/regarding-chapter-25-of-what-they-expect-to-give

Now without further ado...

* * *

Fluttershy split with Rainbow in the foyer and exited out the front door. When she crossed the front lawn and arrived at the sidewalk, she could already see the taxi slowly cruising down the street. The car came to a stop in front of Sass' house. After paying her fare, Twilight emerged from the taxi and blinked at her friend.

"Hey, Fluttershy," Twilight said with a bemused smile as she stepped onto the sidewalk. She looked around at the car-packed street, to the group of people milling on the porch. Her eyebrows rose. Even from the sidewalk, the din of the party could be heard. "'Small party', huh?"

"It started small." Fluttershy was back to wringing her hands.

Twilight's brow creased with worry. "What happened?"

Shy took a deep breath and started. By the time she finished, they had migrated to the front door, only to have to jump away in time to avoid a boy and girl running past them in their underwear.

"Oh boy," Twilight muttered. "We better find Pinkie quick!"

Fluttershy put a hand to her head, feeling herself go a little faint. Twilight gazed at her with concern.

"You all right?"

"Yes." Fluttershy flashed a chagrined smile. "I drank a glass of wine a little too fast earlier. I should be all right." She led the way inside. "I'm sorry you aren't getting a chance to enjoy yourself, Twilight. It was quite nice before-" she broke off with a visible look of discomfort. _How to put it…?_

"Before some party crashers ruined it?" Twilight said loudly over the pulsing music.

Fluttershy flinched, but gave a little nod. She wouldn't have worded it that way, but there was no denying- the new guests hadn't been invited and they were being _quite_ inconsiderate.

"It's all right. I'm happy to help." Twilight shrugged. "It was either this or re-reading my quantum physics textbook a fifth time."

The two girls first checked all the available rooms downstairs, then checked upstairs. Fluttershy took a moment to rescue Tank from the vomit-smelling bathroom (she was dismayed to find that some people had put crude genitalia stickers on his shell). But Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie were nowhere to be found. It wasn't until they descended the stairs that Fluttershy was hit with an idea.

"Let's check the backyard!" she said.

Together, they slowly navigated the sea of people to reach the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard at the rear of the family room. It took nearly three minutes to achieve this as Fluttershy wasn't willing to shove or bump anyone. _If any more people show up, we might not be able to contain this!_ she thought with a low whimper as they slipped outside.

The backyard was large and as well-cared for as the front yard. Considerable investment had gone into beautiful flower beds along the fence perimeter. But at the rear, was the real spectacle. A small crowd that had peeled off from the main activities inside were already gathering around. Pinkie Pie was with their old high school acquaintance, Vinyl Scratch, and together they worked on the final touches of what looked like a DJ set up.

Rarity and Rainbow were there, and they appeared to be taking turns trying to talk Pinkie out of it. Judging from Rainbow's angry gesticulations and Pinkie's lack of attentiveness, it was clear they weren't getting through to her.

"Oh my goodness!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "We just saw Pinkie ten minutes ago! How did she do this so fast?"

"How does Pinkie do half the things she does?" Twilight responded wryly. "Though it's possible that she had contacted Vinyl ahead of time. Or maybe Vinyl was already here? She _always_ travels around with her DJ gear."

"However she did it, she really must _undo_ it," Fluttershy said. She hugged Tank and looked down to see the tortoise was poking its head out of its shell just enough to blink up at her. "Tank, I am so very sorry! You're sick. You shouldn't be around all this trouble!"

"We can worry about him later. Come on!" Twilight said, hurrying forward.

"Pinkie this is crazy! You and Vinyl can't do this right now!" Rainbow shouted as Twilight and Fluttershy neared. "Did you even ask Sassaflash if this was okay?!"

"Mic check! One, two, one, two!" Pinkie said cheerily into a microphone. Her voice came through deafeningly loud on the speakers, making everyone wince. "Needs a bit more tweaking, Scratch-a-Datch!"

"This needs to be removed, Pinkie Pie!" Rarity said shrilly. "Darling, I don't know what's gotten into you, but this is unacceptable behavior! Think of the consequences!"

Pinkie waved the thought away. "You guys worry too much! Everyone's gonna love it!" Her smile shone radiantly, but her eyes…

 _They're not sparkling._

"That's just it, Pinks. They'll like it _too much!_ " Rainbow Dash pointed at Vinyl Scratch. The young DJ gazed back at her placidly from behind her dark glasses. "And _you!_ Aren't you worried about what this will do? If the cops get called because of your racket, how are you gonna get your gear out in time?"

Vinyl just shrugged and threw up a hand signal-thumb and pinky out.

"Oh I know that one!" Twilight mimicked the hand sign. "It's called the shaka! In the islands it has a very deep meaning, but given the context here, I think Vinyl's just saying, 'hang loose'."

"Hang loose?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight pushed her glasses up her nose and grinned. No matter the situation, she was always happy to share knowledge. "It means she's not worried."

Vinyl smiled and nodded.

Fluttershy held out Tank, his shell facing out to Pinkie so the crude stickers were easy to see. Rainbow and Rarity both made faces. "Pinkie, there are a lot of people here who were not invited and aren't behaving very well! Look what they did to poor Tank!" Fluttershy pursed her lips. Few things stirred her like an animal being neglected or abused. "I am sorry to say this, but this is very inappropriate! We cannot 'hang loose' with this!"

"Cool parties are always gonna have people you weren't expecting dropping in," Pinkie replied with a wink. "People act naughty when they're bored. If you give them something to do, they won't act up!"

"That isn't very sound logic, Pinkie Pie," Twilight pointed out with a frown. "Occupation doesn't always produce good behavior! Depending on the activity, it can even exacerbate bad behavior!"

"Not if I can get these guys good and tired!" Pinkie sing-songed. To Fluttershy, she stage-whispered, "I'll take the stickers off myself after this first set, okay?"

"But what about Sassaflash?" Rainbow Dash said. "Is this fair to her? Any second she could come out here and-"

"Check, check," Pinkie was back to holding the mic up. "One, two, one, two- Hey that's better Vinyl, thanks!" Her voice was now coming through at less ear-splitting volumes, but no doubt still loud enough to be heard clear down the block.

Fluttershy and the others all started to say something simultaneously, but they were drowned out by a sudden stream of Vinyl Scratch's special brand of EDM.

Pinkie resumed speaking into the mic, one hand waving up over her head. "Helloooo you beautiful people! Get up, get out, and come join us for the main attraction! For those of you who don't know me, my name's Pinkie Pie and I'm from Delta Alpha Kappa! This is just a small preview of the kind of awesome fun you can expect from our upcoming event, The 80s Bash Party! Tickets can be purchased off our sorority website, and all proceeds go toward sorority activities and future events! So what are you waiting for? Go get 'em! Now without further ado, I bring you… D… J… PON… 3!"

Cheers erupted as Vinyl Scratch dropped the beat.

Fluttershy flinched and looked to the others. "What now?" she shouted over the noise. People jostled past her to get closer up to the DJ table and the speakers.

"We pull the plug! Literally!" Rainbow Dash shouted before she vanished amidst the sea of partiers.

* * *

Rainbow Dash grabbed Rarity before she could be lost in the chaos. "Rares!" she shouted. "Help me find the plug!"

Rarity was smiling. "To be fair to her, Pinkie did a wonderful job of promoting our 80s party!" Rainbow glared at her, and the fashionista pouted. "Well, pardon me for trying to find a silver lining to this mess!"

The tomboy pushed her way through to the front, past the speakers. She had to catch Rarity, whose wedge shoes caught on the dizzying array of wires snaking from one device to another.

"Which of these cuts the juice?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Rarity only held up her hands. Groaning, Rainbow circled to the back of the DJ setup. Neither Vinyl nor Pinkie paid them any attention. The DJ was engrossed in her music, and Rainbow's friend was too busy hyping the crowd up. Rainbow glanced over the fence at the neighboring house and saw a man glaring at them from what looked like his upstairs bedroom.

 _Uh, oh. We may already be too late! If they called the cops-_

But Rainbow was unwilling to give up just yet. She searched the grass frantically until she found a blue tarp laid out where an outdoor multiplug extension cord was plugged into by a large orange outdoor cord. This cord snaked its way across the backyard along the perimeter of the flower beds. Gesturing for Rarity to follow, Rainbow Dash went around the edges of the crowd, and near the patio on the corner of the house, she found the outdoor plug.

Just as she went to pull it, she heard mic feedback cut through the music, then:

"What the _crap_ is this? Are you out of your mind!?" It was Sassaflash. Rainbow Dash flinched. This wasn't going to be pretty. The vice captain's voice barrelled over a muted Pinkie Pie's, "You know what? Save it. This party's over. Everybody _fuck off_. And _you_. I _dare_ you to shoot cake batter at me right now!"

Rainbow pulled the plug. The music and the mic cut off. With a heavy sigh, she looked at a grim-faced Rarity. "Let's go help Sass clear this place out."

"Yes." Rarity fell into step with Rainbow Dash as they started back. "Dashie, dear… If what you've told me is true about this Party Favor, then I think we must tread carefully."

"Tread carefully?" Rainbow slowed to a stop and gestured at the crowd. Some people were arguing with Sassaflash at the front, and others were grumbling. Only a few actually turned and started walking toward the house and side gate, as if to leave. "Pinkie Pie basically steamrolled every possible etiquette I can think of with this crap! Why do we need to handle her with kid gloves? The last time she did something remotely like this was before senior year of high school! Remember when she made us dance and sing at the outdoor mall? That was almost three years ago! She's old enough to know now this isn't cool!"

Rarity's eyes tensed and she folded her hands in front of her. "The same way I knew that wandering the streets at night in dangerous parts of town, almost _hoping_ someone would attack me again, was 'not cool'? Make no mistake, Rainbow. My insomnia and sleepwalking may have been involuntary, but not all of my nightly outings were."

Rainbow Dash stared at her.

 _She… what?_

Then the tomboy remembered the look of annoyance that had crossed Rarity's face when she had offered to drive the fashionista home on the way to Sugarcube Corner Friday night. And what about the things Junebug had told them when they brought Rarity home from the mall?

 _"It happens at least once a week and it drives us nuts. She falls asleep somewhere weird on campus, then we get a call to go get her."_

"You didn't just go out from sleepwalking last night? You were out there _on purpose?_ " Dash asked slowly.

"I remember now," Rarity murmured, looking down at her hands. "I had been out wandering when I fell asleep on a bus bench. The aftermath you know."

 _That night when Fluttershy and I went out on our date… Rarity was going out trying to find the people that hurt her, wasn't she?_

"That was so stupid of you! How could you do that!" Rainbow snarled at her. Her entire back and shoulders coiled. "You could've gotten yourself killed!" she yelled, her voice cracking. The tomboy started to pace, her hands clenching and unclenching.

 _Moron! Stupid idiot! What would she have done if she got in over her head and died? What would we have done? Fluttershy would have cried for days!_

She felt a pang in her heart. _She_ would have cried for days. She'd try to burn away the hurt at the gym, then after lying awake in bed with tears streaming from her eyes, she'd go out. She'd look for whoever hurt Rarity, sprout wings, grab them and fly up high, then drop them into a deep canyon.

But none of that did happen because they found Rarity. They were going to fix her sleep problems. Sunset was back. She'd have answers, she always did. _Take a breath, hot head. Don't lose your cool._

Rainbow Dash could still feel the anger burning her nostrils, her breath coming in hot short bursts as her lizard brain still pulsed at the idea of danger.

She stopped her pacing to hiss at Rarity, "Promise me you won't do that anymore."

"Rainbow-"

"Promise."

" _Fine._ I promise. Not that I intended on carrying on, anyway." Rarity snapped, her hands crossing defiantly. "I must remind you of _your own_ actions as of late if we're going to be pointing fingers. What did you really hope to achieve on that street last night? If I recall correctly, Applejack mentioned you were there to 'spy' on Sunset Shimmer!"

"It was for her own good! And besides, _I_ had enough sense to bring back up!"

"My point, Rainbow Dash, is that people make foolish decisions. I apologize for my poor choices. Truly, I do! But I will not suffer your superior attitude, do you hear me? You are no more immune to stupidity than the rest of us, and that _includes_ Pinkie Pie. If I could do something so foolish because of something I'd suffered in silence… what thing could have made Pinkie Pie overstep her bounds tonight? It's clearly more than just immaturity." Rarity shook her head, her expression panged. "I'd wager it's more than just a lover's spat, too. I can only think that she must really be hurting to have so stubbornly tried to run from it."

Rainbow Dash felt her ire cool as this thought sunk in. As long as she had known Pinkie Pie, the party planner had always placed others' happiness as her top priority. It was true that sometimes she could get overzealous, but never this far. Never this bad. _Fluttershy was saying we gotta take it easy too. Maybe… it'd be smart to let the others take point on this. I'm no good with this touchy-feely stuff. I might just start yelling again._

 _Okay, no, I'd_ totally _start yelling again._

As they had been talking, more people had started to turn and go. Cars could be heard starting in the street. There were some angry shouts and honking as some no doubt argued about right-of-way. At the DJ stand, Rainbow and Rarity found Vinyl carefully packing her things. Sassaflash was giving Pinkie Pie a good dressing down. Though she was taller than the soccer VC by at least two inches, Pinkie still managed to look very small thanks to how her shoulders slumped, head bowed, and pink hair went limp.

Twilight and Fluttershy were helping Vinyl pack up. Rainbow Dash whispered to them from the other side of the DJ table: "Pretty bad, huh?" She thumbed over at Sass and Pinkie.

"Yeah," Twilight said with a wince as she coiled an audio cord. "We tried to calm Sassaflash down, but she's in a fine froth right now. She just got through chewing out Vinyl Scratch."

A glance at the quiet DJ informed Rainbow of just how long that probably lasted. Vinyl's ability to shrug things off was almost legendary. Pinkie would have made a more satisfying target for the vice captain's ire.

"Thanks for helping Vinyl pack." Rainbow Dash looked at Rarity. "Rares, can you look around for Spitfire? Ask her to check with the soccer team. I wanna know who's still around and needing a designated driver." The tomboy took a deep breath. "Wish me luck guys, I'm going in to save Pinks."

Rainbow circled the DJ table, a grimace on her face as she approached behind Sassaflash.

"If there's any damage out here to the garden, I'm going to fucking send _you_ the bill!" Sass barked. "My mom wins gardening competitions! If your bullshit led to any of her prized tulips getting wrecked-!"

"I'll pay for it," Rainbow said, her hand finding its place on Sassaflash's shoulder.

The vice-captain turned, her amber eyes smoldering with anger. "Why should you do it? _She's_ the one who-"

"Pinkie was just doing what Pinkie does, Sass. She likes to see people having fun. It's not her fault Alpha Epsilon showed up."

Sassaflash's mouth became a long thin line and her nostrils flared. "Yeah. I know whose fault _that_ was." Her gaze narrowed as she looked at Pinkie, "That doesn't make what she did okay."

"You're right," Rainbow agreed quietly. "It was dumb. But look at her. She's sorry. Right, Pinkie?"

Pinkie nodded jerkingly, her eyes wide.

Dash held up a hand. "See? Why don't you let her help with cleanup? You go ahead and kick out the last of these bums. Maybe kick _your_ bum if you find him."

"Fine." Sassaflash shot Pinkie one last glare before stalking away.

Rainbow Dash sighed and shoved her hands deep in her pockets. "You okay, Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie smiled, but it was small and shaky. "I should have listened to you and the others. I'm sorry, Dashie."

The tomboy bobbed her head. "That apology will go a lot farther after you pick up the mess these people made."

Pinkie winced and looked down at her fidgeting sneakers. "I'll get started."

When she started to walk away. Rainbow Dash caught her by the arm, her eyes falling shut. "Stick around after you're done, Pinks." She looked at her seriously. "The others and I wanna talk about what's really going on with you."

Pinkie paled but nodded.

As Rainbow went off to start helping with crowd control, she saw a familiar head of red and yellow hair through the open sliding glass doors. Sunset Shimmer. She was looking around the family room with a bemused expression, her motorcycle helmet gripped in one gloved hand.

"Sunset!" Rainbow exclaimed, running to her roommate and trapping her in a bear hug. "Dude! You had me worried sick!" _Heck,_ all _of my friends are worrying me sick._

"Woah! Uh, hey Rainbow." Sunset chuckled. When the tomboy released her, she let out a little relieved breath. "Looks like I'm late to the party, huh?"

Dash winced. "You could say that." She apprised the other girl of what had happened so far.

Sunset Shimmer tsked and shook her head. "That's pretty unfortunate." She shrugged. "But hey! I'm here. I may as well help."

"That's great, cuz I might be playing DD for a little while. The others are in the backyard. Sassaflash is the girl with blonde hair in the Cleopatra costume. She's… a little tilted right now, so I'd wait to talk to her."

"Understandable," Sun said bobbing her head lightly. She clapped Rainbow's shoulder on the way out the sliding glass doors. "Don't worry, I'll find something to help with. Go do your thing."

After a while of herding stragglers out the doors, Rarity came back to Rainbow with Spitfire and three soccer team members. It seemed most of the team had the good sense to bail when Alpha Epsilon had arrived. She was annoyed these three had stayed to get drunk when the party had clearly become an imposition on Sassaflash, but college kids were gonna do what college kids did, she supposed.

She drove her teammates back to campus and returned to find the house finally cleared out. Now it was just her friends and Sassaflash left. The house was in disarray. A vase, lamp, and picture frame had been broken. The kitchen had been a nightmare, and while it still looked messy, thanks to Rarity's efforts it was looking much better by far. The bathrooms were in a similar state. Fluttershy and Twilight were still working on cleaning them. Tank had been relocated to Sassaflash's bedroom, the crude stickers carefully removed from his shell. Pinkie Pie had been given the unenviable task of scrubbing vomit out of the hallway carpet upstairs. The four garbage bags Sunset Shimmer and Spitfire gathered in the kitchen earned a whistle from Rainbow.

"A real mess," she said.

Spitfire quirked an eyebrow and thumbed outside. "Still got one more bag I'm finishing up. At some point, someone ordered five boxes of pizza. I'm still finding paper plates and pizza slices in weird places. One slice was underneath the kitchen sink for some reason."

"It was revolting," Rarity said from the sink. She had on dish gloves and an apron.

"Has Sassaflash calmed down some?" Rainbow asked.

Sunset squinted one eye, "Well when the cops showed up-"

Rainbow's stomach lurched. "Cops?"

"Yeah. One of the neighbors had called. But by then most everyone was gone already. They let Sass off with a warning."

"Where is she?"

"In the backyard. She's trying to save some of her mom's garden."

Rainbow Dash stayed a moment to help Spitfire finish the last trash bag. Then she went out to the backyard. Sassaflash was kneeling by a flower bed, trying to replant some bent flowers. She had changed out of the Cleopatra costume and now wore a plain t-shirt and sweatpants. There were a few flowers ( _Tulips, maybe?_ ) with snapped stems and torn petals she'd all but ripped out and left on the grass. She lifted her head upon hearing Rainbow approach.

"I'm really sorry, Sass," Rainbow said.

Sassaflash clicked her tongue as she patted the dirt around a freshly replanted flower. "Shut up, it's not your fault. It was my dumb idea to have this party."

"Yeah, but-"

"When the cops came, I knew then that there was no way I'd be able to keep this under wraps. My parents will find out, and when they do, they are going to turn me into a _paste_." Sass groaned as she rolled off her knees to sit on her bottom, legs half-bent so that she could put her arms on her elbows. Her hands were in dirty gardening gloves. Her mouth screwed to one side and she shrugged. "So screw it, I'm just going to tell 'em. First thing tomorrow."

Rainbow rubbed her neck as she crouched down and balanced on the balls of her feet. "What do you think they'll do?"

"Take away my car? Cancel my credit card? Send me to China? Heck if I know." Sassaflash blew a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. "Y'know, I'm not even that mad anymore."

This made Rainbow's eyebrows rise. "You're not?"

"Naw. As I said, it was my dumb idea. Even with just our team here, more people were showing up. Caramel just accelerated the process, and Pinkie was caught up in the moment when she did what she did, I guess. 'If it looks like a rager, and sounds like a rager, then it's probably a rager!' She really thought she was helping me."

"She still should've asked first."

"Yeah. Believe me, that was annoying, but… it wasn't _the_ problem, y'know?" Sassaflash bit her lip. Quietly, she said, "I broke up with him, Dashie."

Rainbow pursed her lips.

"I know what you're thinking." Sass wagged a finger and said with a half-smile, "'They're always breaking up.' But I really mean it this time. Tonight I realized I've let myself get stuck. I gave you so much crap about maintaining the status quo with Fluttershy, and there I was trapped in a loop with an insensitive jerk. I _knew_ I should have told Caramel and his frat brothers to leave, but I didn't want to make him upset because we'd only just gotten back together." She shook her head. "I don't want to deal with that anymore." Then Sass snickered. "The sex isn't worth it!"

Dash snorted into a laugh. "About time you saw that!"

Sassaflash smiled wide, her tongue caught between her teeth, but when her eyes fell on the ruined flowers on the grass, her smile faded. Rainbow sobered at this change in her friend.

"You'll find someone new, Sass," she said.

"I'm not sure that's what I really need, Rainbow Dash," Sass murmured. "Seeing that video tape tonight reminded me that I used to dream bigger. I just don't know how to get back to that spark, y'know? Growing up, I did so many different things. Too many. I never stuck with anything. Maybe I got burned out along the way?"

Rainbow Dash nodded slowly, more to show that she was listening than to convey she fully understood. Sassaflash was the vice captain of one of the best college soccer teams in the state, and she had a higher grade point average than anyone else on the team. How was she lacking spark? _I guess she just wants to challenge herself more?_

"I told your friends that they could use the family room to talk to Pinkie," Sassaflash said. Her brow furrowed. "Did something happen to her?"

"You mean aside from you reaming her?"

Sass rolled her eyes. "Yes. She begged the others to put off your pow-wow while you were gone, but Rarity pulled her aside and talked to her. Is she using? Are you guys doing some kind of intervention?"

Rainbow was already shaking her head. "No way. Pinkie Pie doesn't like drugs. Heck, she's barely ever had a drink." She pushed her fingers into her eyes. She could feel a headache coming on. "Pinkie's been acting weird for the last few days. I'm telling you, she doesn't normally go around doing stuff like this. We think it has something to do with Party Favor, her boyfriend. We just don't know what, exactly."

Sassaflash nodded. "Boyfriend probz. I know that feel, man." She sighed and rolled over again, turning back to the flower bed. "Well, you guys are free to stay as long as you want. I trust you, and you trust your friends, so that's good enough for me. But I'm not gonna go tip-toeing around my own house, so if there's something touchy-feely going on, I might walk in on it. Sorry, not sorry. I'm too tired to creep and I'm not driving all the way back to campus tonight."

"Understood," Rainbow said, rising.

"If you need me, I'll be here trying to work miracles," Sass said wryly as she picked up a trowel.

"Good luck, dude," Dash said as she turned and went back into the house.

Upon entering, it was to find that Fluttershy and Twilight were resting on the couch. The room had just one small table lamp on (since the other was broken) and it struggled to fill the room in its warm yellow glow. More light flooded in from the kitchen doorway, but there was still a swath of darkness that cut over the love seat and the two hallway entrances.

"Are we just about done?" Rainbow asked.

Fluttershy nodded. "Sunset and Spitfire were taking out the last of the garbage. Rarity is finishing up with the dishes."

The front door opened. The three girls looked, but it wasn't Sunset or Spitfire who emerged from the hallway-it was Applejack.

She looked weary, the top two buttons of her green plaid shirt unbuttoned. She held her hat in her hands and turned it nervously. Rainbow stiffened a little, her stomach doing an unpleasant flip, before she willed herself to relax. Her eyes darted from Applejack to Fluttershy, and she was uncomfortable to discover that the cowgirl was doing something similar, looking from Dash to Shy and back.

She tried not to react at how AJ's eyes lingered on Fluttershy.

"Hey ya'll," Applejack said, raising a hand. "I, uh, wasn't really planning on coming after Rainbow mentioned the party-I was workin'. Then Twi and Sun texted me too, saying something 'bout Pinkie Pie getting Vinyl Scratch here and causing a ruckus?"

"I think we have a few things we're going to talk about, but that was the catalyst for tonight's meeting, yes," Twilight said, adjusting her glasses.

Applejack took a deep breath like she was preparing to jump into a cold swimming pool. "Welp. Alrighty then." She went slowly to the loveseat and sat down, her hat still turning in her hands as she gazed determinedly at the carpet.

Rainbow Dash sat down next to Fluttershy, but instead of sitting close and maybe putting an arm over her girlfriend like she wanted to, she sat a little apart and fidgeted with her hands-cracking knuckles, kneading her palms. She tried to ignore Fluttershy's curious glance and quelled the rising sense of guilt in her stomach. _Damn it! This is just going to stay weird until AJ gets over her._ Almost desperately she ran through possible girls she could hook her country friend up with.

As she reached the end of her rather shortlist, Rarity entered the room. She paused, seeing everyone seated. "Hello, Applejack," she said. She spoke slowly. Rainbow supposed she understood her hesitation. This sit-down was likely going to touch on her problems too. Rarity sat next to AJ.

The front door could be heard opening and closing, then Sunset and Spitfire came in from the hallway. Spitfire halted at the doorway, her head turning as she took in the room. She took a step back and cleared her throat. "I'm just gonna…" She took another step. "Yeeeeah. I'll see you guys later."

"See you, Spitfire," Rainbow said.

Sunset crossed her arms. She looked about as tired as Applejack, but her gaze was focused. "Where's Pinkie?" she asked.

Fluttershy stood. "I'll get her."

* * *

Shrinking under everyone's gaze, Fluttershy went upstairs. She found Pinkie Pie sitting against the wall, staring into space. The spot on the carpet next to her was wet and still a little sudsy, but it looked free of vomit. Shy paused at the top of the stairs, one hand still on the banister.

"Pinkie," she said. "Everyone's here."

Pinkie looked at her, her big blue eyes blinking slowly. "Everyone?"

Fluttershy nodded. "Applejack just got here. I think they'd like to start talking now."

Pinkie gave a pursed smile, then stood. "Okie dokie," she murmured.

Fluttershy hugged her when she reached the stairs, and Pinkie returned it. Together they descended, holding hands. Pinkie's palm was sweaty.

When they found their seats (Pinkie elected to sit next to Fluttershy, and the shy girl rubbed her back affectionately) Sunset clapped her hands.

"Well, girls. It's not good news that brings us together, is it? So let's just get to it." She held up a hand. "Does anyone wanna start?"

"I think we oughta talk about last night first," Applejack said without hesitation. She looked at Rainbow. "It's probably the most pressing matter to discuss."

Rainbow Dash sucked at her teeth loudly. "Um." She started to bounce her knees. Fluttershy put a hand on her lap, and they stilled. "Last night me, Twilight, and Applejack sat outside this pub called Tambelon downtown," Rainbow said with a little wince.

Sunset's arms fell at her sides. Fluttershy could actually see her pupils shrink. "What?" she asked flatly.

"We were worried about you," Twilight said next. She looked at Fluttershy and Rarity. "You see, a few days ago, Sunset was taken away by a rude man named Bray. We could see she didn't want to go with him, but she did it anyway."

"I looked around our dorm room," Rainbow continued, her arms crossed as she slouched in her seat. "I found a business card from Tambelon with a time written on it. Like it was an appointment."

The pair finished explaining the rest of the observations that led to their stakeout-including the mysteriously timed absences, and the supposed Equestrian gold Spike had seen.

"Twilight made the guess that you were laundering it," Rainbow said to Sunset. "So like I said, we were worried about you. We wanted to make sure you weren't in over your head."

Fluttershy watched as the former Equestrian started to pace along the carpet, her jaw muscles flexing as she ground her teeth.

"Of all the stupid things!" Sunset finally burst out, her cheeks turning red to match her hair. "That is my personal business! You had no right! I mean seriously, what did you expect to see? A guy walking out in a t-shirt that says, 'Hi, I'm in a gang and I'm doing illegal business! Ask me anything?' You didn't actually go _inside_ , did you?"

"We thought about it," Rainbow grumbled.

"But we didn't," Twilight said pointedly.

Sunset let loose a sarcastic laugh. She was still pacing. Fluttershy was vaguely reminded of an anxious tiger at a zoo. "Well thank heavens for small favors! That bar isn't just seedy, it's a hive of trouble! It's also _members only_ , so you wouldn't have gotten far, but it still would have put you on the radar of some very bad people! That is, if you aren't _already_ on their radar."

"You're right," Applejack said. She had stopped twirling her hat and was now gripping it tight. "We shouldn'ta done that. What we shoulda done was wait to talk to you. But if you're saying it's not our place to worry, then I'm afraid that's where our agreement ends." She touched her chest. "We're sorry we did that." She looked at Rainbow and Twilight who both nodded. "But I agree with 'em, Sun. It sounds like you're takin' a big risk on your own."

A snort. "I am not."

Then Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Um, excuse me?" Everyone looked at her, and she shrank in her seat a little. "Sunset, I'm sorry. But… Twilight was right, wasn't she? Why else would you be going to a members only pub with 'bad people'?"

Sunset stopped pacing abruptly, her eyes fluttering as she realized her mistake.

She exhaled hard through her nose. " _Fine_. Twi's right. I'm using less savory sources to launder my Equestrian gold. Happy?"

"No," Fluttershy said gently. She tilted her head to the side, a small wrinkle appearing in her brow. "Sunset, why didn't you tell any of us? We're your friends. We care about you more than anything."

Shimmer ran a hand through her hair and squeezed her eyes shut. Teardrops could be seen glinting at the corners. "Because I didn't want you guys thinking I was _backsliding._ "

"Why would we think that?" Twilight said with a scowl. "You have a real logistical problem! Your solution wasn't ideal, but it was perfectly understandable!"

"Yeah, dude," Rainbow Dash said next. "You'd have to like, _murder_ someone for us to think you were really backsliding."

"I do not judge you in the slightest Sunset Shimmer," Rarity said, nose up in the air.

"We weren't tryin'ta judge," Applejack said sourly. "We just wanna remind 'er that she can tell us anything."

"This might be a good chance to mention what happened next," Twilight pointed out.

Rainbow sighed roughly. "Right." Fluttershy held her hand, and the tomboy squeezed it. "Applejack and I…" she faltered, looking at AJ. "We had a disagreement, and left her truck. We'd been sitting outside of the pub for a long while and nothing had happened, so things were a little tense. While we were out on the sidewalk, Twilight saw Rarity across the street with some guy. When we got closer, we saw that she'd magicked him."

"He was in a stupor," Twilight chimed in.

"Yeah. So we all start freaking out when the guy's friend finds him all doped out on the sidewalk."

"Things escalated pretty quick," Applejack said with a shake of her head. "Guns got pulled out. They shot at us."

"We barely got away," Twilight said with a shudder.

The silence that followed rang loudly in Fluttershy's ears.

"What in the world were you thinking!?" Sunset exclaimed, looking at Rarity as if she'd just flashed her chest on national television.

"Wait," Pinkie said. Her voice was quiet, but it was the first time she'd spoken since they'd all sat down, and everyone turned to look at her. She gazed at Rarity with what looked like sadness. "You were out doing it again weren't you? Trying to find him."

Rarity's eyes widened. "You knew?"

Pinkie Pie shrugged. "I guessed. Why else were you staying out so late?"

"Knew what?" Applejack asked, looking between them.

Rarity swallowed audibly. "I may as well tell you the whole story." And she did.

There was another long silence.

Sunset Shimmer spoke first. "But why use your magic? Did you know that man you were speaking to was the one who mugged you?"

Rarity shook her head. "No. I was sleepwalking."

Sunset's mouth fell open. "You were walking around casting magic in your _sleep?_ "

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said with a grimace. "After we found that out, we knew it was serious. Do you have any idea what would make her do that, Sunset?"

"The insomnia," Sunset said without hesitation. "Back in Equestria, extreme sleep deprivation leads to magic acting funny. It invades the subconscious and can make sleep even more difficult. It's a vicious cycle that only gets worse overtime. Think of it like magic poisoning." She rubbed her right temple and closed her eyes. "There's a way to reset the balance, but I'll have to get in touch with the princess for help. This is out of my area of expertise."

"So we do that then, pronto," Applejack said, taking hold of Rarity's shoulder and squeezing it. "In the meantime, how 'bout we hang up the superhero cape and not go looking for trouble anymore?"

Rarity blushed. "As much as I enjoy capes, I have never worn any on my nightly jaunts!"

"Rarity, please listen to Applejack. Pretty please?" Fluttershy looked at Rarity with earnest concern. "I'd hate for you to get hurt."

"I've already promised Rainbow Dash not to do it anymore." Rarity looked at her nails at arms length, and Fluttershy recognized it for the nervous reflex that it was. "But if it would make you all feel better, then I assure you, I have no intention of resuming my quest for vigilante justice." She looked at the nails on her other hand, her eyes flickering around the room once. "I am… sorry for the worry I've caused. Truly."

"Do you think the guy Rarity crossed was part of the group you launder through?" Twilight asked Sunset.

Sunset shrugged. "Without an accurate description of him, I couldn't say. And it's not like I know _all_ of Bray's gang."

Twilight blushed and slouched. "Right! Sorry. I didn't mean to suggest you would."

"It's all right, Twi. I'm not offended."

 _But she does sound hurt,_ Fluttershy observed with a little frown.

Shimmer looked at them all. "You guys should know that… This gang I meet, I _only_ launder gold through them. I don't do any illegal work. But they've been getting greedy and taking more off the top, so it's forced me to find more funds in Equestria so that I can keep myself afloat out here. That's why I vanish for a while every few months."

"They're bleedin' ya dry," Applejack said with a curl of her lip.

"We can help you figure something else out, Sunset," Twilight said with a firm nod. "I don't know what just yet, but there must be a more sustainable solution!"

"Well for the time being, if I want to retain their services, I have to jump when they tell me to jump." Sunset rubbed at her face wearily. "Actually, it's kind of a relief you guys know now. Keeping it a secret was exhausting on its own!"

"I'm glad we had this talk!" Pinkie chirped suddenly, jumping to her feet. She went and put her arm around Sunset and looked between her and Rarity. "Don't worry girls! We'll be there for you!"

"Nice try, Pinkie," Rainbow Dash said. The tomboy sat up and pointed a finger. "We still haven't gotten to what's going on with _you_."

"Is there more than just what I've been told?" Sunset asked, looking at Pinkie quizzically.

"I'm afraid so, yes," Rarity said with a sigh. "Pinkie Pie vanished for several days when she knew I needed her help for our upcoming sorority party,"

"I apologized for that, Rarity!" Pinkie whined.

"And I accepted your apology. That doesn't hide the fact that it was highly out of character for you," Rarity said firmly.

"When I found her later, she'd told me she'd gone to the doctor and gotten bad news," Rainbow Dash said. At Pinkie's glare, she held up her hands. "Hey! You didn't Pinkie Promise me into silence!"

Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Um… I'm so very sorry to say this, but tonight, Rainbow and I stumbled onto Pinkie having a fight with her boyfriend, Party Favor."

"You were super upset," Rainbow added. "We could tell even though you were trying to hide it."

"Shortly after that, she pulled the mischief we informed you about."

Sunset Shimmer frowned and crossed her arms. After a long pause, she looked up at everyone. "Guys, it's good that we care. But we have to remember that we can't _make_ Pinkie share personal stuff with us if she doesn't want to. She apologized for the inconvenience she caused. That doesn't give us a blank check to know all her problems. So long as she's not in danger, there's no cause for us to pry."

Rainbow Dash clenched a fist. "But-!"

Fluttershy squeezed her hand. "I agree with her." Rainbow looked at her, clearly pained. The animal lover turned her gaze to Pinkie and continued, "It's true that her behavior has caused some… um… _setbacks_. But rather than pressure her into telling us her business, I just want Pinkie Pie to remember that everything we said to Sunset Shimmer and Rarity applies to her, too. We care. And we don't want to judge." She offered a small smile, "So if it would make you feel better, you can share it with us. But we can't help you unless you tell us what is wrong."

Pinkie Pie's eyes started to fill with tears. Fluttershy felt her heart wrench as these tears quickly spilled down Pinkie's cheeks in little glittering trails.

"I didn't want to think about it," Pinkie said. Her voice was tight with emotion. "B-But that isn't working… is it?"

Fluttershy gently shook her head. "I'm afraid it doesn't appear that way, Pinkie."

The party girl bounced a little on her feet, like she could rev the engines of her frivolity. She stopped almost immediately. "In life we have these super duper special 'firsts'," she began quietly, slowly. Her eyes focused on no one, their gaze ticking nervously around the room. "Your first rollercoaster ride. Your first kiss. Your first scoop of triple fudge ice cream." She pulled out her pigtails, her curly hair falling limp around her shoulders. Her big blue eyes blinked down at the hair ties in her hand. "You… You can't _lose_ these things." She turned her hand, letting the hair ties fall to the carpet, where in the dim lighting they vanished from sight.

Fluttershy blinked. _Lose?_

Pinkie continued, her words falling quieter as she stared through the floor. "I always thought life was all about enjoying the firsts. Then the seconds. Then the thirds. Maybe you have to have do-overs, and maybe not all the firsts are good, but I was great at finding things to smile about. Every day is this totally swell new beginning, and there could be a great new 'first' right around the corner. But then this week I went to the doctor for some yearly tests, and that's when I learned you _could_ lose a first. A _good_ first. I… I lost my first 'good first' you guys." Her words became choked as tears fell in fat drops to the floor. "And that isn't something I want to do over. Not at all."

Fluttershy started to feel cold. She hugged herself but the trembles still came. _Please no… She can't mean…?_

"Pinkie, I'm sorry, but I'm getting confused here. You lost your first 'good first'?" Rainbow squinted her eyes. "I'm just not getting it!"

Pinkie's face almost had a glow to it, the way her skin was turning red and the tears made her skin damp and glistening. She chanced a shaky smile. A single sob broke through before she spoke. "The doctor said I wasn't far along. That's why I wasn't showing."

Sunset's face grew long. She hugged Pinkie silently.

Fluttershy jumped when Rarity started crying, her breath coming in wet wrenching gasps. The fashionista rose to her feet and went to Pinkie Pie, arms outstretched. "Oh my dear," she said. "Oh my darling, I am _so_ sorry!"

Tears had also started to cloud Fluttershy's eyes.

"I don't understand," Rainbow said quietly. But when Fluttershy looked at her girlfriend's numb expression, it was clear that she did.

"I thought I was being safe," Pinkie sniffled over Rarity and Sunset's shoulders. The three of them swayed gently on the spot. "The IUD was supposed to make it less than a one percent chance. The doctor said they thought it was because it moved a few inches that it happened."

Applejack held her hat limply with one hand, as she leaned forward on her knees. Her other hand covered her mouth loosely. From behind her palm, she spoke, "But how?" Her free hand turned into a fist against her dry lips. "If there's less than a one percent chance of it happening, how could the IUD just screw up all cuz the damn thing moved a little?" Fluttershy could see the tears misting her eyes, but the cowgirl wiped these away forcefully with the edge of her fist.

"IUDs are little t-shaped devices that are supposed to go into your uterus," Twilight said. Upon looking at the bookish girl, it was clear that she was in a numb state similar to Rainbow Dash. When Twi spoke, her words were stilted. Robotic. "It releases hormones that makes it so that your egg can't be fertilized. It's supposed to be very effective. Like Pinkie said, there's less than a one percent chance of getting pregnant. Zero point eight percent to be exact. That's… that's not zero. It's extremely rare to get pregnant with an IUD, but still possible. The doctors must be correct in thinking the device drifted out of place. The only other way it would have failed was if it was past its expiration date?" Her eyes drifted to Pinkie, who shook her head. Twilight's lips pursed. "I didn't think so." She folded her hands in her lap with an almost exaggerated slowness, her eyes falling on them. "If a pregnancy takes place while an IUD is in, even one that is out of position, it can lead to… loss." Her voice broke on the last word. She cleared her throat and said in a low murmur, "I'm… I'm really sorry, Pinkie Pie. The odds were-"

"Eight out of a thousand," Pinkie said. Sunset and Rarity released her from their hug and she smiled sadly at them. "Or one out of a hundred twenty-five. That's like spending a million on a European lottery and winning. I looked it up." She sniffled and tapped her hands anxiously on her thighs. "Isn't that super nutty? Think about it. The only similar odds I could find in this world was for a gamble you had to try _really_ hard at. It's like I won an impossible game with a terrible prize."

"Please don't say that," Fluttershy said. Her trembles intensified, as if the words coming out of her mouth were rattling her apart. "I beg you. Don't think of it that way. This wasn't destiny!" She felt Rainbow's hand on her shoulder and her face crumpled, her tears racing hot down her cheeks.

"Maybe it wasn't destiny, Flutters," Pinkie said, returning her gaze to the floor. Her voice had levelled to an even, but muted hurt. "But it sure feels like I was on the wrong end of a bad cosmic joke." Her brow furrowed. "I always thought I'd make an awesome mom. I've been thinking about it all week, all the different things we would've done. I'd play peek-a-boo, and make them massive cakes for their birthdays. I'd sing the Smile song, and teach them how to do cartwheels." Her brow tensed. "I don't even know if it was a boy or a girl."

"You'll drive yourself crazy with questions like that, Pinkie," Applejack said quietly.

"Party Favor thought so too." Pinkie scowled now. "He didn't see why I was upset."

"Well then he's an idiot," Rainbow Dash said suddenly. Fluttershy turned to see her girlfriend's jaw flex as she clenched her teeth.

"Is he?" Pinkie asked with a little tilt of her head. "I wondered that too. Can I get upset about losing something that barely even started?"

"Of course you can," Sunset said.

Rarity, who had quieted her crying down to small sniffles stroked Pinkie's hair. "Dearest it is a serious thing you're going through! Just because Party Favor fails to see its significance doesn't make it trivial!"

"He even suggested it was a good thing," Pinkie said. "'This way, you can finish college and start your career instead of worrying about some kid,' he'd said."

"Bastard," Rainbow snarled.

"Language." Pinkie's admonishment lacked enthusiasm. She rubbed one arm. "I took some time to go home. Be with my sisters. I didn't tell them or my parents why I was there. They knew something was wrong, but I guess they were giving me space. While I was working at the quarry, I kept trying to cheer myself up. 'Yeah, Pinkie. This way, you can finish school.' But I didn't feel better. In fact, I started wondering what I was even _doing_ at school." Her forehead wrinkled and she looked at Rarity. "Rares, I didn't mean to leave you alone the way I did. I had no intention of leaving you alone to do the sorority party. But after my doctor visit, I just… didn't see what was so important about going back to classes like 'Culinary Theory'." She gestured around them. "I like parties. I like seeing people laugh and have fun. But are ragers what I really wanna do? Or even fancy banquets?" She shook her head. "I miss the small parties I'd throw for people at Canterlot High. For you guys. I miss the parties I threw for the little kids in my neighborhood. Those are the smiles I remember best."

"What are you saying, Pinkie?" Rarity asked, one hand finding her throat.

Pinkie took a deep shuddering breath. "I'm saying, after the sorority party, I'm going to drop out of Everfree University. The Cakes at Sugarcube Corner have offered to take me on as an apprentice baker." She fidgeted her feet. "I'm sorry, Rarity. I wasn't sure how to tell you without bringing up everything else. I haven't even told my parents yet. It's just… after what happened, I-"

"Hush," Rarity said, her voice choking anew. "Just hush, I completely understand." She hugged Pinkie Pie again. "You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. Helping me with this silly party seems so inconsequential in comparison."

"There is no comparison!" Pinkie Pie said firmly. She held the fashionista at arms length, her expression solemn. "I'm helping you, Rarity! And this 80s party is going to be the bee's knees!"

Fluttershy couldn't stand it anymore. She stood to her feet, her hands wringing themselves so tightly, her skin stung. "Pinkie, I must tell you- you're so very brave and strong! I would be _honored_ if you'd let me help you and Rarity with this party!"

"Yeah," Applejack said standing. She put her hat firmly on her head, then hooked her thumbs into her jean's belt loops. "Me and my family would be happy to join in too, cousin. The Apple Family Farm is at yer service!"

"And me!" Twilight chirped, popping up from the couch with her hand raised. "I'd like to help too!"

"Me too." Rainbow stood next, her hands on her hips. "If this is gonna be the last thing you do at Everfree, then it's gotta be awesome. I can't let you leave without anything short of a bang!"

"We'd all like to help," Sunset said, smiling at Pinkie. "We're in this together, okay?"

Pinkie Pie's lip trembled as she looked around at them all. "You guys…" The girl's spine curled as fresh sobs escaped her.

Fluttershy wept, her trembles replaced with a warm wave of bittersweet release. She practically ran to Pinkie, who caught her in a strong hug. Fluttershy felt Rarity embrace them from one side, then Sunset. Within moments, their whole group was standing in the middle of the family room together in a single massive hug. In the center, all the shy girl could feel was warm and secure.

"You see?" Fluttershy whispered to Pinkie with a little sniffle. "We'll be here for you. No matter what."

"Um-" The girls pulled apart just enough to look toward the sliding glass doors. Sassaflash was there, her eyes wet and her arms limp at her sides. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overhear. I was going to try and wait for you guys to finish, but then I needed to use the bathroom real bad, and when I came to the door that's… that's when I heard." Her amber eyes found Pinkie. "I am _so_ sorry." A single tear fell, and she wiped this away.

Pinkie shook her head. "I'm sorry again for what I did. That didn't give me the right-"

"It's water under the bridge," Sass said, waving the words away. "Please. Let's just forget about it." She scratched at her cheek. "Actually, I'd be really happy if we could be friends and hang out more? You're a cool person."

Pinkie Pie giggled and gestured for Sassaflash to come over. "Get in on this hug action, you!"

And Sassaflash did.

* * *

"I'll let you all know when Princess Twilight gets back to me," Sunset said. "Then let's try super hard to meet again soon. I know it'll be hard, what with how busy we'll be in the next week or two, but curing Rarity of her magic poisoning is high priority. Agreed?"

The others murmured their agreement. As everyone prepared to leave, Sunset pulled Applejack aside to the living room.

"How are you doing, AJ?" she asked quietly.

Applejack gazed back at her stoically. "Not sure what ya mean?"

"You can play dumb all you want, Applejack. I know you're feeling way more than you're letting on."

The cowgirl made an annoyed face and turned away. "Aw shucks, Sun. I ain't dealing with this right now! Not after what we learned tonight!"

"AJ, if tonight's any indication, I think it just shows that maybe we've all drifted a little _too_ far apart. I want you to know if you need to, you can talk to me. That's all I wanna say." Sunset rubbed Applejack's back. "Your feelings matter too, y'know."

"Yeah. They just don't matter enough to get me what I want," Applejack said quietly. She sighed and glanced at Sunset, and the former Equestrian felt her heart sting at the look in her friend's green eyes.

 _Even the saddest country song wouldn't do it justice._

"Just call me. For whatever. Don't worry about the hour," Sunset said, taking a smell step closer.

"I'll be fine."

"Just _call_. Please. I want you to."

This made Applejack's brow furrow, turning her green gaze a darker emerald. Sunset crossed her arms under this calculating stare.

"And what about you, huh? You gonna call for backup next time them crooks snap their fingers and say 'jump'?"

Sunset's jaw shifted to the side with her vexation.

 _Stubborn. Like a wild horse._

"I can handle them," Sun said.

 _Lucky for you, I can be stubborn too._

Applejack arched an eyebrow. "Sure you can handle 'em. You just don't gotta do that _alone_ anymore. Tell you what," she gestured between them. "You promise to tell me next time ya gotta run errands for that gang, and _I'll_ promise to bother you the next time I get dust in my eye. Deal?"

Sunset smirked. "Deal." She held up a finger. "But I reserve the right to check up on you."

Applejack returned the smirk, tipped her hat, then left without another word, her boots clicking on the hardwood floor.

Sunset shut her eyes as she listened to the door open and close. Her hand still tingled from where she'd rubbed AJ's back. She clenched it.

"Hey, Sunset?"

She looked to see Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy at the doorway.

Rainbow thumbed over her shoulder. "I was gonna take Twilight and Fluttershy home. Sassaflash insisted on taking Pinkie and Rarity back to their sorority house." She paused. "You all right? You look like your brain was on another planet."

Sunset could feel heat crawl up her neck and into her cheeks. She shook her head quickly. "Nope! I'm fine. Sorry. I guess I'm tired." She waved a hand. "I just gotta get my helmet and riding jacket, then I'll be on the way to our dorm."

Rainbow nodded as she and Fluttershy moved toward the door. "Sounds good. See ya."

"Oh, and Rainbow!"

The tomboy stopped and looked back at her.

Sunset opened her mouth, then faltered. _Trust Fluttershy. Talk to her. Believe that everything we said tonight applies to you too!_ But she just shook her head. "Sorry, never mind. I'll see you later."

 _I missed my moment. If I'd pulled her aside, she'd see it as pushy and would probably ignore my advice. Better if she does it on her own. It's probably better that way. It gives her a chance to believe she's not like her father. That not everything she does is because someone pushed her into it. Rainbow Dash needs to believe she's not a bad person and she's capable of doing the right thing on her own._

That was the hope, anyway.

Rainbow Dash waved, and then she and Fluttershy were gone. Sunset Shimmer crossed her arms and went to the window, gazing out at the street. Twilight was already waiting by Rainbow's car. She could still hear Rarity and Pinkie's voices floating down the hallway as they waited for Sassaflash to get her shoes and car keys.

Sunset's eyes found Applejack sitting in her truck. She sat there a moment, staring at the steering wheel before turning her engine on and pulling out into the street.

Shimmer watched her go with a little sigh.

There were other hopes she didn't quite know what to do with, and she was perfectly aware this probably made her a hypocrite.

* * *

Rainbow Dash had dropped Twilight off and was on the way to Fluttershy's house. The ride so far had been quiet, but now that it was just her and Fluttershy, Rainbow felt a need to say something. Her mouth practically tingled with the words.

When Pinkie Pie had revealed what had happened to her, the tomboy's gut had dropped out. It didn't feel like something that should have happened to their group, least of all, Pinkie. It was almost more unbearable because her friend hadn't been reckless. The miscarriage had just… happened. Though Rainbow couldn't quite articulate it, she had a glimmer of understanding of the sort of cosmic dysphoria this caused in Pinkie Pie. She'd probably vanish for a while and re-evaluate her life too if it had happened to her.

The meeting had been a sobering reminder of what was important. How powerful her friendship was with her friends.

In light of that, Rainbow's secrets suddenly felt so crude.

She could feel them circling on her tongue like a caged lion, ready to pounce.

"Rainbow, I want to tell Star Weld about us. If possible, tomorrow," Fluttershy said.

Rainbow Dash looked at her in surprise, her mouth falling open. "Really?" Her girlfriend nodded meekly.

"I'm nervous but…" she twirled a lock of hair around her finger and looked down at her lap. "It seems like the right thing to do, after tonight." She smiled sweetly. "I don't want to hide my feelings for you." Rainbow's face fell. This clearly wasn't the reaction Fluttershy had been expecting, and her eyes grew wide with alarm. "Are you having second thoughts?"

Rainbow Dash reached over and put a hand on Fluttershy's lap. "No! No way, babe. It's just… Aw geez. Aw _man!_ " She pulled over the car. Her heart was beating so hard she could practically feel it in her toes. Her breathing quickened. Sweat broke out all over her skin.

"Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy's voice trembled a little.

"Fluttershy, I have to tell you something," Rainbow's voice cracked, and she winced. She tapped anxiously on the steering wheel. "I have to do it." She was almost speaking to herself. "I have to do this."

"Rainbow, you're scaring me."

"I don't mean to," Rainbow looked at Fluttershy, her breathing was growing more ragged as each inhale sliced into her aching lungs, and then rushed hot out of her mouth. "I just… if we're really gonna tell Star Weld tomorrow, then there's something you should know. Something… something that might change your mind. A secret that I'd hoped to never have to tell you, but after tonight-"

"What could you possibly need to tell me that would change my mind, Dashie?" Fluttershy asked. She was sounding breathless now too. "I've wanted to be with you for so long!"

"I realize that, Flutters. But this isn't a small thing. This _matters_. Like, a lot." Rainbow started to bounce her knees. "It has to do with my dad."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah." Rainbow grimaced. Was she really about to do this? "Please. Please don't hate him. Please don't hate _me._ My dad is in a tight spot, and when he gets desperate he can be kinda crazy. Ruthless, even. I guess some of that rubbed off on me, because it was my idea in the first place. Not his. But he kept pushing me to do it, and I went along because I thought I was being a good daughter. He's the only family I've got left, Shy. I just-"

"Rainbow, I'm getting really confused."

"Sorry, sorry. Damn! This is so freaking hard to say!" Rainbow Dash struck the steering wheel once, hard. Her palm stung, but the pain anchored her. She focused on it, then said more slowly, "My dad's training facility is on the skids. His subscriptions are down. Right now, I'm his star. The one best example he's got that his facility produces champions. When I got stuck with this psych project, that put everything on the line. Everything, Flutters. People really think there's this big divide in sports between the winner and the loser. I'm telling you, half the time that isn't the case. Raw talent can be a big factor, but what's even more important is the training leading up to an event. This psych project was gonna cut into my training."

"And if the team you're leading loses out on the championships, then that could be very bad for your father's business," Fluttershy said. Her expression had smoothed into something neutral. Almost icy. Had she already figured out what Rainbow was trying to say?

Dash swallowed hard. "You've got the highest score in the class. And I knew… I _knew_ that you had feelings for me." Her eyes started to burn. _Don't cry. Don't you dare. You had dry eyes through Pinkie's confession, crying now just makes you a self-pitying jerk. Toughen up. Finish what you started._ With a steadying breath, Rainbow said next, quieter. "I told my dad I'd get you to do my project for me." Her eyes fell shut, and she could feel the tears clinging to her eyelashes. "It's why I kept acting weird with you. Touching you more than I needed to. Saying things I knew would get you going. I was setting you up."

"So our date on Friday?" Fluttershy asked slowly.

"No!" Rainbow Dash looked at her girlfriend ( _Friend? Person who_ used _to be my friend?_ ) She clasped her hands. "Please, Shy, no. That wasn't a trick! You gotta know, it didn't take long for me to fall for you! For real!"

"But when was it real for you, Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy's eyes filled with tears.

Applejack's words sounded in Rainbow's head, burning like fire:

 _Dash, I bet you make her cry a'fore the week is through._

A lump formed in the tomboy's throat as she willed AJ's voice into silence. "After you said that you liked Bulk Biceps," Rainbow murmured. She turned her eyes out the windshield, unable to watch Fluttershy cry. "It had been building, Fluttershy. I tried to ignore it. I thought everything I was doing was for my dad. I know that's not true, now. I liked it. I loved getting closer to you. But I was so confused. I _am_ confused. My dad doesn't know I've abandoned the idea. He still thinks I'm trying to manipulate you. But I'm so happy with you, it's like… it's like how can that be bad? He's just so stubborn and melodramatic, I have no idea how to tell him! He'll think I'm stabbing him in the back!" Rainbow dared a glance. "I care about you. I didn't want to hurt you. But I've already done that. I'd understand if you changed your mind about being with me." _There_. _It's all out now._ But Rainbow Dash didn't feel unburdened the way that Sunset and Pinkie had felt after revealing their secrets. She felt crushed. _I've ruined it. I must have. I'll be lucky if she even wants to stay friends._

They sat in silence for a long time. It was torturous and thick. Rainbow almost wanted to jump out of the car and run down the block. She managed to stay in her seat because she desperately wanted to hear what Fluttershy had to say.

The moments stretched on. A car passed them by, highlighting their faces in the pale glow of headlights. Then-

"If I'm being honest," Fluttershy started, her voice tinny. "I feel hurt. I do."

Rainbow nodded her head jerkily, her throat clenching again. _Don't cry. Don't cry-_

"But as I sit here thinking… I can't help but imagine what a difficult position you found yourself in. Your father can be so demanding. It's hard to resist loved ones, even when they're wrong."

Rainbow remained quiet, unsure of what to say. _Better keep my mouth shut. I'm almost sick of hearing my own voice saying all those awful things._

Fluttershy shifted in her seat, her hands toying with a lock of hair. "The thought had crossed my mind, you know. That maybe you had ulterior motives for asking my help."

A week ago, this would have surprised Rainbow. But after having spent so much time with the shy girl in the last week, she could believe it. Fluttershy was observant and smart. Of _course_ she picked up on Rainbow's plan.

"I told myself you wouldn't possibly do that. And in a way, I suppose you didn't." She sighed heavily. "It just stings that you were so close to doing it at all."

"I'm sorry," Rainbow Dash said.

"I know you are. I believe it. But…" Fluttershy trailed off, her hands now wringing in her lap.

Rainbow looked at her, her heart skipping a beat. "Fluttershy?" _Is this it, then? Is this when she breaks up with me?_

Every tingling inch of her recoiled at the thought. She'd be hollowed out. A ghost.

 _Please, no. No, no, no-!_

Fluttershy chewed her lip a moment, then said, "Rainbow Dash I wasn't completely honest either. I had ulterior motives of my own."

This made Rainbow's eyes go wide. "Uh, wh-what?"

* * *

Fluttershy's heart ached. So much had been revealed tonight. She thought Rainbow's confession was brave. _How hard was that to say?_ Though it pained her, Fluttershy knew she couldn't hold on to the hurt. She had no right to. _Not when I had a secret of my own._

"I've been lying to you," Fluttershy whispered, letting her hair curtain forward to hide her face. "All this time."

"How were you lying to me? Fluttershy, _I'm_ the one that-"

"Rainbow Dash, I've been stalling."

"Stalling?"

Fluttershy felt her tears land onto her wringing hands. They felt warm. "Yes."

"Stalling what?"

"The work on your project. Rainbow, the truth is, we should have been much farther along by now. You've been relying on me to help you, and all I've done is waste your time. I'm so sorry!"

"But why would you do that?" Rainbow asked hoarsely.

Fluttershy peeked through her hair to see the other girl gazing at her in disbelief.

"Because I wanted to spend more time with you. I thought that maybe, if we could get closer, I could get you to like me the way that I like you." She squeezed her eyes shut. "I used your misfortune to my advantage. That wasn't right!"

"I don't care about that."

Fluttershy lifted her head in surprise. Rainbow Dash was gazing at her steadily. Tears were gleaming in her gaze like little jewels, but she held her head high. "I don't care about any of that, Fluttershy. Are you kidding? I want to be with you. I'll tell Star Weld. I'll tell my dad. Heck, I'd stand in the quad and _sing_ it if I had to."

Fluttershy let this sink in. A smile crept slowly across her face. She giggled. "Rainbow, you already _did_ sing it."

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Yeah. I guess I did."

Their eyes held each other, their faces lit with the dim glow of Rainbow's dashboard.

"I want you, Fluttershy," Rainbow murmured. "I want to fight for you. Please say you'll stay with me."

Fluttershy's heart was in her throat, pulsing almost achingly. She reached a hand up to stroke Rainbow's cheek, and her eyes turned lidded when she saw her girlfriend's eyes fall shut and she leaned into her touch.

"Oh, Rainbow." Taking hold of the other girl's face, Fluttershy kissed her. It was a soft, but electrifying contact that instantly changed the energy between them. Rainbow gripped Shy's wrists tightly and kissed her back, her lips moving deftly and sensuously. Thoughts became harder to form, but Fluttershy had enough presence of mind to pull back once, then again when Rainbow tried to recapture her lips.

Panting, Fluttershy rubbed her nose gently against Rainbow Dash's.

She knew, at this point, it wasn't necessary to say it, but she wanted to do it. To put the words forever in Rainbow's mind and dispel any doubts.

"My heart is yours, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said. Then her mouth found her girlfriend's again in another hungry kiss.

They didn't start driving again for a long while. By the time they had gathered themselves and restarted the car, the windows had all fogged up.


	27. Chapter 26

When Rainbow arrived back at the dorm, Tank wrapped in one arm, it was to find Sunset Shimmer already in bed, laying on her side and facing the wall. She assumed her roommate was sleeping and tried to move quietly, but she was surprised when Sun's voice reached her through the dark.

"Heya, Dashie," Sunset murmured. She lifted her head, but her features were indistinct in the shadows. "Don't mind me. I'm having trouble sleeping." Her voice was low, but her words were crisp and alert.

"That sucks," Rainbow said, grimacing. She rubbed her neck. "I'll try to be quiet."

She dropped her duffel bag on the floor and went to turn on the bathroom light. She left the door ajar, and the light that streamed through the cracks and through the opening displaced enough of the darkness that Rainbow could get settled without fumbling around.

She refilled Tank's water bowl, then pulled out a garden salad she'd bought at a gas station from her duffel bag. Rainbow knelt down and set the tortoise on the carpet, smiling as his scaly head emerged from his shell. He blinked up at her through his crusty gaze.

"Oof… Better get that taken care of, Tank," she whispered with a little frown. "I might forget later."

Retrieving his eye drops from her bedside table, she carefully dropped the medicated solution into his eyes. He blinked each individually the moment the medicine landed.

Rainbow pouted in sympathy. She stroked the tortoise's head. "Poor guy. That feel better?"

Tank nodded.

Rainbow grinned. "Good."

Then her smile wiped from her face.

"Wait." Her eyes grew. " _Waaaait_. Did you _understand_ me?"

Tank nodded again.

Rainbow shot up, her legs tucked under her. "No way." She buried her hands in her hair and said louder, "No way!"

"What?" Sunset asked with a yawn. She sat up.

Rainbow Dash pointed a shaking finger at Tank. "Tank understands me!"

"Huh? What tank?" Sunset's bed creaked as she crawled to the end of her mattress to look down at Rainbow and the tortoise. "Woah, hold on! Since when were you keeping that tortoise here? I thought Fluttershy was taking it home!" Her brow creased. "And... did you just say he understands you? Like… he understands _words?_ "

Rainbow nodded emphatically, her feathery bangs falling into her eyes. "Yuh-huh! Look!" She leaned down, and with a very serious expression, she said, "Tank, if you understand the words coming out of my mouth, then I want you to shake your head side-to-side!"

Tank blinked at her.

Sunset squinted one eye. "Are you sure—?"

Very, very slowly, the tortoise shifted his head to the left, then to the right, and back again.

Rainbow laughed, slamming a fist on the floor. The little reptile jumped and retreated partially into his shell. "I knew it!"

Sunset's eyebrows shot up. "Wow. Okay. Soooo… he's magic touched like Angel Bunny." She smiled. "Cool."

"Right?" Rainbow stroked the side of Tank's head. Her finger paused when a thought struck her.

 _Hold on. So back when we were outside of Tambelon, that mook tripped over Tank… Was that intentional?_

"Tank, did you trip that thug that was chasing us the other night? On purpose?"

After a single beat, Tank nodded his head.

Rainbow felt her heart squeeze with such an unexpected surge of affection, she thought she'd cough up sugar and rainbows. But…

She gave him a pursed smile. "You must have really hustled to get in his way. Like, _really_ hustled. Thanks for having my back..." She frowned, her smile still in place but her eyes tensing. " _Why_ , though? Why would you do that? The day I got you, I treated you like a nuisance! There wasn't a good reason for you to—"

The tortoise licked her finger with his pink tongue. It was warm and wet. Rainbow fell silent, her smile falling away and her forehead wrinkling.

Sunset hummed, her red curls spilling over her shoulder as she lay on her stomach. She leaned her cheek on a loose fist. "Y'know, Rainbow… Sometimes people just do things out of kindness, or because it's the right thing to do... even when they've had no motivation to do so. Heck, even when they've been _discouraged_ from doing so!"

Rainbow glanced at her, her eyes unable to stay off of Tank and his serene, scaly face. "Do people really do that, though? I know ponies do, but do _magic tortoises?_ " She disliked the sullen tone that crept into her last words.

Apparently, so did Sunset. "You think Tank has some ulterior motive?" The question dripped with wry disbelief.

The tomboy's cheeks colored faintly. "Of course not!"

"Then why is it hard for you to imagine this lil' guy just has that big of a heart?"

"Because…" Rainbow swallowed and looked away from Tank.

She thought of Rainbow Blaze. Of how he loomed over her at age nine. Of his flinty eyes as they ran over her latest arts and crafts project: a misshapen clay mug with _Best Dad_ colored on it in bright red marker, little blue and yellow lightning bolts shooting across the mug's dull beige surface in wild directions.

It was something she'd made in the aftermath of her mother leaving them. An effort to cheer her depressed and brooding father. A gift for the parent who had _stayed._ Blaze's hands had turned it over slowly, before stopping with the mug's proud declaration staring up at his suspicious face.

Rainbow Dash picked Tank up and hugged him. She wasn't entirely sure how much he felt with his shell, but she hugged him. Hard.

"Rainbow…"

The tomboy looked at Sunset reluctantly. Her roommate's gaze had softened, her lower lip pushing up in sympathy. "It doesn't ever really go away, does it?" the other girl asked quietly.

Rainbow's brow tightened. "What doesn't?"

"The discomfort." Sunset pushed up from the mattress and sat back on her legs, hands folded in her lap. "Someone does something nice for you, and you have to wonder why."

"Look, I know. _Obviously_ , people do nice things sometimes—!"

"You just feel uncomfortable when it comes from someplace new. Someplace _powerful._ You might even wonder if you deserve it." Sunset gave a slanted smile. "When you first met Fluttershy, was it easy to believe her kindness came with no strings attached? That it came implicit with forgiveness for whatever crappy thing you may have done before?"

Rainbow's mouth thinned.

 _Yes_.

Her mind flashed with a young Flutters, tallest in their kindergarten class with the longest hair to match, crouched down and blowing softly on Rainbow's freshly skinned knee. Rainbow had recoiled from the other girl's sweaty touch and chocolate milk breath, her eyes almost wild as she jumped up and ran away, _screaming_ about cooties. That had been before she'd defended her shy classmate from the relentless bullying of Hoops and Dumb-Bell. Before she'd finally realized that, despite what her father kept telling her, people this nice _did_ exist...

They existed, and they needed tough people like _her_ to defend their _kumbaya-_ singing butts.

"It was hard for me, too," Sunset murmured, looking down at her bed. "When I was Princess Celestia's student, she treated me so kindly… But I was certain everything she did was for her own agenda." She took some of her hair and stroked it with idle disquiet. "Even after _you_ guys became my friends, I still had these thoughts. It was like…"

"Like even just being kept around was its own reason," Rainbow said with a low voice. She stroked Tank's head again, and the tiniest smile flared on her lips when the reptile licked her hand once more. It was short-lived. "Like… they were doing nice things just to keep me close, so they could turn around and use me when they _needed_ to."

Sunset nodded, her eyes bright with understanding. "But our friends were never so selfish, were they?"

Rainbow's eyes narrowed as she set Tank on the floor again. "Not them. But other people have used me. And I'm always finding new ones who _try_..."

Sun held out a hand in acknowledgement. "And that happens sometimes, and it feels terrible when it does," she touched a hand to her chest, her cyan eyes gaining a shimmering clarity in the dark that made Rainbow's hair stand on end. "But letting jerks make you question every kind act—even from _magical tortoises_...that isn't right!"

Sunset shrugged. "At some point, you just have to believe that people want to help and be kind simply... _because_. Maybe they like you, faults and all. Or maybe, like I'm guessing is Tank's case, they just _see_ something in you and feel moved to _act_."

Rainbow blushed and rose quickly to her feet, her arms crossed as she hunched her shoulders. "Yeah, yeah…"

A little sigh escaped Sunset. "Fiiiine! I'll drop it. Just think about it some more, okay?" Sunset's lips gained an amused tilt. "You'd think after all of our friendship convos, you'd get less fazed about them by now!" She wagged a finger as she lay back onto her bed. "Now, about Tank—I'm fine with him staying here, but I better not find tortoise droppings all over the place!"

Rainbow uncrossed her arms, relieved at the chance to change the subject. "Hey! Give the little guy a break! I've been watching him for two days now, and he has yet to have an accident! He's always done his business outside! Right, Tank?"

Tank only gazed up at her placidly.

Rainbow shrugged. "Mmm… I _guess_ you could use with like a litter or something in case I have to leave you here." She looked around their room. "Maybe a box with shredded paper...?"

After a quick search, she found an old shoe box under her bed, and a stack of old papers from freshman year. Taking these, she shredded the papers into strips and pieces into the box, then ripped off one side of it so that the reptile could go in. This she placed in the corner next to the closet.

"There ya go, dude!" she said with a wave of her arm. "Best I could do on short notice. We'll fix up something better later."

The tomboy fetched some clean PJs, and hurried into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. When she emerged, it was to find Sunset had returned to her original position on her bed, and Tank eating a piece of carrot from the salad.

When she was sure Sun wasn't looking at her, she knelt down fast and gave the tortoise a quick kiss on the head.

She grinned as he looked up at her… and was she crazy, or did it look like he was smiling?

 _I never thought I'd think this, but Tank's sort of adorable… in a slow, reptile-y way._

Rainbow shut the bathroom light off, casting the room into darkness, and groaned as she climbed into bed. It was nearing midnight. If she was lucky, she'd fall asleep instantly and get _just_ enough sleep to head to the gym in the morning.

Only she didn't fall asleep instantly.

Rainbow lay on her back and stared up at the ceiling. Weary as she was, her mind just kept turning.

 _Fluttershy knows everything. Now, there are no more secrets._

But she knew that wasn't entirely true. Not when she still harbored the truth about Applejack's feelings.

 _The one stone we left unturned..._

Rainbow wanted Applejack to be happy. She wanted them to stay friends. _All_ of them. She just _needed_ Applejack to get over Fluttershy.

 _The way I got over Lightning Dust was racing my way through a ton of girls… Somehow, I doubt AJ will be up for that._ Rainbow's mouth pinched. _Not that I have a ton of girls to hook her up with anyway._ Then her expression cleared. _Oh, but it's not just who_ I _know!_

"Hey, Sunset?" Rainbow called softly.

She heard her friend shift in the other bed. "Yeah?"

"Do you know any single girls who would be into Applejack?"

There was a long pause.

Then Sunset let out a tight laugh. " _What?_ "

Rainbow frowned and turned her head toward the other side of the room. "Seriously! I think AJ could use with a nice date!"

She saw Sunset sit up and turn on her bedside light. Rainbow squinted against the yellow glow.

Her roommate crossed her arms and looked at Rainbow with a little frown. "So you know now, huh…?"

"Yeah." Rainbow sighed and turned her gaze back to the ceiling. "Kinda feel dumb I never noticed it before. It's so obvious to me now." _The way she kept looking at Flutters through high school…_ Her stomach clenched, and she felt sorry that it wasn't just for sympathy for her friend.

 _Lightning Dust always said I was super jealous._

Sunset drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "Rainbow, I understand that you want to help her be happy, but playing matchmaker is likely just going to push her away." Rainbow looked to see Sunset eyeing her sidelong. "It's… hard to say how things will go now. I think Applejack still wants to be friends with you and Fluttershy, but I wouldn't blame her if she took a little break from the group for a while."

"She's _already_ drifted away," Rainbow grumbled. She sat up, kicking off her covers before crossing her arms and legs. She glared at the opposite wall. "If we let her go any further…" she trailed off, finding the words too painful to air. She was even surprised at the fresh tension entering into her throat. How many times tonight would she get emotional?

Rainbow Dash hated to think that finally finding the kind of relationship she'd always wanted meant losing one of her closest friends. She still remembered what it was like when she and Applejack were inseparable—always horsing around, always competing, always having fun… They had _understood_ one another.

When their other friends were disheartened from the antics of a magical foe, Applejack was right there with Rainbow on the front line, pushing back. When Rainbow needed that extra fuel in training, Applejack was there with her carb-rich apple brown betties. And who else had the guts to go cliff jumping with her on a camping trip?

 _We were best buds once… I shouldn't have let that go so easily!_

"I think leaving her alone is just letting her go," Rainbow said, her voice a little raspier as she fought to speak around the lump in her throat. "I don't want to do that. She's my friend. I _stick by_ my friends."

"I… I think—" Sunset groaned without warning and pinched the bridge of her nose. Rainbow peered at her, confused at the outburst.

 _Come to think of it, she was chatting with AJ before we left Sassaflash's house._ Rainbow's mouth screwed up. _Is she doing that thing when she takes everyone's problems onto her shoulders again? She needs to lighten up! It's not all up to her!_

A niggling part of her brain heckled her just for thinking this, and her cheeks burned.

 _It's not the same for me! I'm, like,_ part of the reason _Applejack is upset!_ She sagged a little. _Nothing new with my friends, I guess. I've gotta figure out how to be less of a pain..._

Sunset bared her teeth as she swung her feet over the side of her bed. Her bare toes wriggled in the carpet as she glared down at her knees. "Y'know? Forget what I said. I actually feel the same way. I think leaving AJ alone right now would be a mistake."

Rainbow swung her feet to the carpet too. "I'm going to help her on the farm on Saturday. She says she's been swamped."

Sunset's eyebrows rose. "Oh?"

"Yeah. I dunno. I figured it was the least I could do. Plus it gives us a chance to talk more."

Sunset rubbed her chin. "Hmm… And you know what? I think I know where she takes her lunch most days. Maybe I'll stop by to see her today?"

Silence.

Rainbow wrung her hands and leaned on her knees. "This is better, right?"

Sun looked at her, pulled out of her reverie. "Er, better than _what_ , exactly?"

"I mean, like, this is something we can _solve_ ," Rainbow said, her voice dropping lower. Her eyes pricked again with more tears. "Not… Not like…"

Sunset flinched and closed her eyes. "Pinkie. Yeah."

Rainbow ground her teeth. "If I see that Party Favor, I'm—!"

"You know that isn't what she wants." Sun's voice was stern.

"But maybe it's what _I_ want!" The tomboy's fists clenched.

Sunset crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

Rainbow glared at her for a beat before averting her gaze. "Man! I know, I know…" Her eyes narrowed.

 _That weasel still better hope I don't run into him on campus!_

She wouldn't hurt him. Maybe just push him around a little. Chew his butt out like he deserved. Getting publicly cut down to size by one of the university's star athletes had a way of _sticking_ with you. She'd seen it happen to other people, sometimes justified, sometimes not. She'd never used her status like that before, but she was perfectly willing to make the unrepentant Party Favor the first.

"Maybe we need to do something to wind down," Sunset offered gently. "It'll take our minds off things enough to let us sleep."

Rainbow perked, looking at her roommate. "Like what?"

Sunset smiled curlingly. "Jam sesh?"

Rainbow mirrored the smile. "If you can even keep up!" She slid off her bed and reached for her guitar case under the bed frame.

Sunset stuck her tongue out as she stood to her feet and went to their shared closet. "Well unlike you, _I've_ still been practicing…!"

* * *

"Urgh, the elevator's in use!"

"Screw it, let's take the stairs!"

"How did we sleep through _both_ of our alarms?!"

"Heh, I think I'm finally rubbing off on you, Sunset!"

Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer flew down their dorm's stairwell, skipping steps as they went. The former was still trying to shove an arm into her hoodie, while the latter was frantically brushing her hair with her school bag swinging wildly in the crook of her elbow. It was almost eight o' clock.

"Twilight's gonna _kill_ me!" Sun whined, just as they burst through the base exit door into the bright sunlight.

Rainbow was already sprinting in the direction of her class. She waved a hand and grinned. "Just tell her I hypnotized you with my amazing licks!" she yelled back, just as she dropped her blue penny board.

She heard Sun laugh as her foot landed on the board, the other pushing off the cement and sending her flying.

 _If I really book it, I can make it to class_ right _when Dr. Axon's lecture starts!_

Rainbow tore through the quad. She was a decent skateboarder, but even she knew she was putting a little too much faith in her wheels and bearings at this speed. But she needed to be there on time. She didn't want Dr. Axon thinking she was slacking off.

 _And Flutters_ …

Her heart tweaked at the thought of her girlfriend waiting outside of class, looking around expectantly for her.

 _Just hold on, Fluttershy! I'll be there!_

* * *

The doors were shut. Why were the doors shut? It was only one minute past eight! Was he really _that_ punctual?!

Rainbow skidded to a halt in front of the doors. She ran a quick hand over her hair, took several deep breaths to calm her ragged breathing, then opened a door ( _Yes, it's not locked!_ ) and peeked in.

Dr. Axon was at the front of the class, but he wasn't speaking yet. Students were still settling into their seats. Rainbow let out a breath of relief.

 _I actually made it!_

She slipped in and quietly shut the door behind her. She scanned the seats for Fluttershy and found her girlfriend was in the same row and section as last week, but she was too preoccupied with getting out her notes to make eye contact.

Rainbow grinned and hurried up the steps to her row, then quickly sidled down to Fluttershy's section.

"Shy, hey!" Rainbow breathed as she neared.

Fluttershy looked up with wide eyes, as if she couldn't believe Rainbow was _actually_ there on time.

Rainbow Dash's grin grew slanted. _Yeeeah, I probably deserve that._

"I wondered if you'd slept in again," Fluttershy murmured to her.

"And miss a chance to sit next to you? As if!" Rainbow plopped into the neighboring seat and quickly leaned over to give Fluttershy a peck on the cheek.

Stifling a laugh at Shy's blush, Rainbow set about getting out her binder from her backpack.

 _It's crazy… just a week ago, I would have paid_ money _not to be next to Fluttershy_ …

Rainbow straightened and set her binder on her desk. She paused when she realized Fluttershy was still gazing at her.

Starting as if she'd been caught doing something bad, Shy turned away and busied herself with turning to the right page in her notes.

Rainbow's gaze softened, and she laid her hand, palm-side up, on Fluttershy's desk.

 _Now, I can't get enough of her._

Fluttershy paused her page-turning, her eyes sliding to Rainbow's hand. She wiggled her pencil. Once. Twice.

The blush reached her ears as she put her soft hand in Rainbow's.

Rainbow smiled and squeezed it, her thumb caressing Shy's skin. She turned to a fresh page in her notebook and looked down at Dr. Axon as he began to speak.

* * *

"My brain…" Rainbow held her head in her hands as she and Fluttershy walked out of the lecture hall. "How am I gonna remember all that crap?"

Fluttershy rubbed her back, her body close as they made their way slowly down the hall to the building exit. "Oh, Rainbow… We'll find a method that works for you, okay?"

"Yeah…" Rainbow dropped her hands and smiled at Fluttershy. "Yeah, we will. We can do this."

Fluttershy laced her hand with Rainbow's. "We can."

"Sooo..." The tomboy swung their arms, her steps slowing as they came to the exit. "What'cha got going on after this?"

"Oh! Um," Fluttershy ran a hand through her hair. "Well, usually I use this time to study and do classwork until two-thirty. That's about when I need to get ready for my work study at the animal clinic. But," she bit her lip and ducked her blue gaze, her hair slipping forward to conceal her face. "Right now, it's close to Star Weld's lunchtime. This might be a good time to tell him… y'know… about _us._ "

Rainbow stilled, her eyes going wide. "Right. You wanted to do that... today." _Damn! How did I forget?_

Fluttershy nodded meekly.

The pair fell silent as a small group of students entered the building and passed them by.

The animal lover spoke first. "I know maybe it seems like an awkward time to talk about this, but Star has an hour-long lunch, and honestly, if we wait till the end of the day, he'll be grumpier."

Sweat broke out over Rainbow's skin. "Y-You think he'll get upset?"

"I… don't know," Fluttershy said with a tiny shrug. "I've never talked to him about this kind of thing. I just know he's protective of me."

"Great," Dash said flatly. She seriously hoped Star didn't remember the suspicious 'rash' Fluttershy had acquired on Saturday. The mark had faded a lot, but it was still visible on Shy's creamy skin if you really looked.

Fluttershy hugged her arm, and Rainbow's growing panic was disrupted long enough for her to appreciate her girlfriend's soft chest pressing against her.

"Rainbow, Star has known and liked you for years!" Shy laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder, and the tomboy rested her cheek on the top of her head, her eyes falling shut. "Please don't think the worst! I understand feeling nervous, but he'll accept us."

"What if he doesn't, though?" Rainbow asked with a little grimace.

She felt Fluttershy pull away, and when she opened her eyes, it was in time to see her girlfriend take hold of her face.

"Then I'm afraid he'll just have to deal with it!" the pre-vet said with piercing eyes. "I've _dreamed_ about being with you. I'm not going to let him be a _meanie_ and ruin it!"

Rainbow Dash felt her cheeks color at seeing Fluttershy's resolve.

Her stomach clenched as she thought:

 _Will I be as determined when I tell my dad…?_

* * *

With their plans set, the couple drove to Fluttershy's house. Both admitted to being too nervous to eat lunch, so the animal lover led the tomboy to her bedroom.

Flutters looked at Rainbow pointedly, her Mothershy look in full effect. "We are just coming here to rest and maybe get some work done while we wait for Star!"

Rainbow chuckled and held up her hands. "Whaaat? You think I'd try something right _now?_ "

She received a raised eyebrow in response.

"Ugh, okay." Rainbow shoved her hands into her back pockets and slouched. "I'll behave. I have math work I have to do, anyway."

When they entered the bedroom, however, something immediately caught the athlete's eye.

Rainbow blinked as she drifted to Fluttershy's desk, where a pile of various diet and recipe books could be seen.

Fluttershy set her bag on her bed and greeted Angel Bunny with a warm pat on the head. Then she looked back at Rainbow and froze, her eyes becoming circles as she saw what her girlfriend was looking at.

"Babe, are you planning on starting a diet?" Rainbow asked with a small tilt of the head. She picked up one of the books. The title read _100 Green Recipes_.

Fluttershy blushed, her head ducking. "M-Maybe?" She picked up Angel and scratched him delicately under the chin. His ears went lax and he sighed. "I was thinking maybe I needed to go the vegan-route. Um… Perhaps get a gym membership, too? Only…" she chewed the corner of her lip and fidgeted.

Rainbow frowned. "Why do you need to go vegan? What's wrong with being vegetarian?" Then she snickered. "I mean, besides doing it at all!"

Fluttershy pouted. "A vegetarian diet is much healthier than a meat-based diet!"

Rainbow smirked. "My diet is meat-based, and I'm _awesome_."

"Sassaflash is vegetarian. Isn't she your second best player on the team?"

Rainbow's smirk waned. "Well, yeah. But…" she huffed. "Look, you just can't get the bursts of power you need from eating only plants!"

Fluttershy set Angel down (ignoring his squeaking protests) and crossed her arms. "Based on what evidence?"

"History!" Rainbow threw her hands up. "I mean, seriously! Record breakers eat meat!"

"There are many athletes who are vegan or vegetarian," Fluttershy said. "I saw it on a documentary!"

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow shifted her weight to one foot, her eyes taking on a glint of challenge. " _What_ documentary?"

"We have a little time! We can watch it while we wait for Star Weld."

"Sure!" Rainbow chuckled. "I'd _love_ to see what egghead reasons this so-called 'documentary' has got in store." Then her eyes narrowed. "Hey, it's not going to just be a bunch of scientists droning at us the whole time, is it?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "Oh, goodness no! The creator is a mixed martial artist. He has many other athletes talking about their experiences. At one point, a world record is even broken! I found it when I was looking for things to convince Star Weld to go vegetarian."

Rainbow grinned. "Now I'm curious!"

* * *

One hour later.

"I can never look at meat the same way again," Rainbow intoned.

She was laying on the living room couch with her head in Fluttershy's lap, her haunted stare piercing through the ceiling.

Fluttershy stroked her girlfriend's hair, a sympathetic smile on her face. "Poor, Rainbow… It isn't so bad. You can start slow." Her smile widened when Rainbow's gaze shifted to her. "Try smaller portions of meat, just a few times a week. Then gradually you can try substitutes!"

Rainbow frowned. "But the documentary said just _one meal_ can make a difference in twenty-four-hours! Heck, look at what it did for those guys who tried it for a week! I mean… geez! A hundred point drop in cholesterol? And those blood plasma tests! Are you _kidding_ me?!"

She sat up suddenly, making Fluttershy squeak. "Y'know what? No way. More than my love of meat, I wanna be the _best_ athlete I can be. Especially before the game this Sunday!"

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

Rainbow's jaw tightened. She leaned on her knees. "I'm going vegan." Her lips thinned. "For a week, at least." She stilled and looked at Fluttershy sidelong. "Well… okay, maybe _vegetarian._ " Her lower lip pushed out a little and she glared down at her shoes. "I still like milk and eggs…" she mumbled.

She heard Fluttershy squeal, and within the next second, Rainbow Dash was gripped in a tight hug and buried in kisses.

"Fluttershy!" she laughed. "Wow! If I'd known you'd get this excited, I would have done it sooner!"

"You've made me so happy!" Fluttershy said with a small giggle. She pecked Rainbow's cheek, her jaw, her chin… her lips.

Rainbow perked up at this last kiss, her body awakening with sudden lustful energy. Her arms wrapped around Fluttershy and she caught that pretty mouth before it could get any further.

She was rewarded with a happy hum, their bodies turning towards each other, molding together as Rainbow pressed in, laying them out on the couch. As their kissing heated up, desires suddenly ignited seemingly beyond their control, the tomboy pulled away—just for one aching moment—to pant:

"Y'know, I could help— _mmm_ …" Her eyes slipped shut as Fluttershy's soft mouth closed over hers. Rainbow pulled back again, laughing. "Wait, wait! I just wanna say—" She broke off with a sigh, and Fluttershy winced apologetically.

"I'm sorry," Shy murmured. "I was just…" Her pink lips curled, just the tiniest bit. "Excited."

Rainbow forgot how to breathe for a second.

With a cough she nodded jerkily, her rainbow hair spilling forward. "No, I get it. I just wanted to say that, y'know, if you really want to get in better shape, I'd be happy to help. Not that you need to." Her hands roamed down Fluttershy's sides, her curvy hips, those smooth thighs… She groaned softly. "You look so good."

Rainbow squeezed her eyes shut and gave her head a little shake. _Focus, pervert!_

With effort, she resumed: "Uh— but hey, I know how it is when you want _more_ , so if you're up for it, maybe we can go to the gym together every once in a while? I'll even try out yoga with you. Just…" she smiled. "Do it because you want it for _you_ , Shy. Cuz I think you look amazing. Like…" her voice dropped to a husky murmur. She brushed her mouth against Fluttershy's quivering lips. "Like I just want you, _right now_ —"

The front door rattled.

Rainbow shot up, her hair mussed and in her face, her muscles tensing. _Crap! Is that—?!_

Fluttershy was scrambling to sit up, one hand gently pushing at Rainbow's taut shoulder. "Rainbow! _Rainbow_ , I need to get—!"

It finally clicked.

Or rather, the door did.

Rainbow's eyes shot wide as the knob jiggled and she practically flew to the other side of the couch, heat scorching her cheeks. Fluttershy sat up, sporting what looked like a full-body blush, her hands fumbling to straighten out her clothes and hair.

The door swung open. Star Weld paused partway through the doorway, his eyes blinking at the sight of the two girls staring at him. He was dressed in dirty workman's overalls, a greasy lunch bag gripped in his hand.

Rainbow thought belatedly to grin. She hoped it looked like a grin, at least, and not a look of abject terror.

"Heeey," Star said, one eyebrow quirking as he looked between the pair. "What's up, girls?"

"Nothing!" Fluttershy said. Her voice sounded choked.

"Just hanging out," Rainbow added quickly with a heavy bob of her head.

Now Star's eyebrow arched up all the way as he shut the door behind him. "Okay? Just chattin', or—?"

"Talking! Yes. We were." Fluttershy fussed with her skirt again, her gaze dropping.

Star laughed a little. "Wait no, something's up. I feel like I interrupted something." He waved toward himself. "Come on. Spill. It's not bad is it?" At their prolonged silence his smile turned strained. "Seriously. It's not, right?"

Fluttershy jumped to her feet, her hands wringing. "N-No! It's not bad." She looked at Rainbow. "It… _is_ important, though."

Rainbow rose as well, her heart hammering. _Woah, straight to the point, huh? Geez, Shy has guts!_

With a steadying breath, Shy spoke.

* * *

"Star Weld, you should know… Rainbow Dash and I are together."

Fluttershy tried to straighten her back. To hold her chin up high. It almost felt as though she were fighting all of the world's gravity to keep from curling like a pill bug.

Rainbow Dash sidled close, her hands nervously patting her thighs.

Star Weld stared at his sister. "Um, yeah? You are together. Like all the time lately, right?" He grinned. "Just like when you two were kids!" He hefted up his lunch bag and started for the kitchen nook. "One sec. I wanna take my food out, I'm starving!"

The utter thick-headedness of this response floored Fluttershy. Her mouth opened. Shut. Opened again. She looked at Rainbow Dash with tense brow, only to find that her girlfriend was looking at her with the same expression.

 _Is my brother serious?_

"Star," Fluttershy tried again, her voice strained. "You don't understand. I'm _with_ Rainbow Dash."

The older man paused just as he reached the end of the kitchen counter. He gazed back at his sister with a frown as he slowly set his bag down. "Huh?"

"We're a _couple_ now, Star."

Star Weld's eyes narrowed slowly. He looked between Rainbow and Fluttershy. "Like…?"

Rainbow slapped a hand to her face and groaned. "Oh for the love of—!" Fluttershy squeaked as the tomboy grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her close. "Dude, _I am dating your sister!_ We're girlfriends now!"

Star's expression wiped clean. The color drained from his face. His hands dropped to either side of him. "You're dating my sister." His voice was faint.

"Yes." Fluttershy leaned into Rainbow, her body trembling. _This isn't going quite how I'd hoped!_ "We wanted to tell you. I know how important it was for you to meet—"

"Rainbow Dash, you're... _dating..._ Fluttershy?" The way Star Weld said it, made it feel less like a real question, and more like he was trying to mull over the _existence_ of the sentence. He was levelling a hard stare at the tomboy.

Rainbow rolled her shoulders back, her nose lifting. "Yup."

Star Weld's lips thinned. Slowly but surely, the man started to turn red. "And how long has this been going on?"

Fluttershy tensed. Slipping out from under Rainbow's arm, she hurried around the couch toward her brother. "N-Not long, Star! It just happened this Friday."

"But you've been meeting _before_ that," her brother said, his neck muscles cording.

Fluttershy stopped just out of reach of him, her body finally succumbing to its desire to shrink in on itself. _He's… He's upset! Why is he so upset?_

"We weren't sneaking behind your back, okay?" Rainbow said. She crossed her arms and glared. "All those other times we met, we were still just friends. This is _new._ We told you as soon as we felt we could!"

Star Weld started to nod his head, but Fluttershy knew better. His head bobbed almost jerkily, sending his blue hair flopping into his eyes. His skin was getting redder.

The only other time she'd seen her brother get like this was when one of her foster animals had peed on his car's custom leather seats.

The man rubbed at his stubbled face, then jerked a thumb toward the kitchen's backdoor. "Rainbow. Backyard."

Fluttershy wrung her hands. "Star, I want to come—"

" _No._ " His words felt like an iron wall being thrown into her face. It was like she was twelve years old all over again...

Her nostrils flared, and her spine eked itself straight.

But she _wasn't_ twelve anymore.

"I am not a _child,_ Star," she said firmly. "If you dislike our relationship, you can tell _me._ "

Star Weld closed his eyes, his jaw clenching. He put his hands on his hips and fixed her with a stare. "I don't have a problem with you dating a girl. Is it unexpected? You're _damn right_ it is. I can deal with that, though. But I told you— I reserve the right to play scary big brother. The fact that you're with Rainbow Dash doesn't _nullify_ that." He thrust a finger at the couch. "So just sit. _Wait_. This won't take long."

The two siblings gazed at each other hard. Star had a Stare comparable to his sister's, but Fluttershy didn't curl up again. She wouldn't.

So concentrated was she, that when Rainbow's hand fell on her shoulder, she jumped.

"Fluttershy." Rainbow was gazing at her with unchecked affection, a soft smile on her lips. "It's okay. We'll be right back." She winked and squeezed Fluttershy's hand. "I got this."

Fluttershy wanted to protest. She wanted to assert that, though she loved her brother and could never repay him for all he'd done for her in the wake of their parents' death, her life was still _hers_ to live. She wanted to have _some_ say in what was no doubt a pivotal moment in her life.

But she trusted Rainbow.

 _I'll speak with Star some more on my own if I have to_ , she thought as she watched, rooted, as her girlfriend and sibling exited to the backyard.

Shy's lips pinched so tight, they turned white. She crossed her arms, trying to stop the tremors of adrenaline coursing through her. She felt almost ill with indignation and fear.

 _If I hear yelling, I'm going out there!_

Then her eyes popped wide as a thought struck her.

"Oh! Oh dear!" Fluttershy's head whipped around as she began to frantically search the living room. "Where is Star's bat?!"

* * *

Rainbow Dash just wanted to get this over with. Whatever Star Weld needed to get out of his system, she wanted it flushed completely out into the open. She needed to know… would she be on his bad side? Would her being with Fluttershy cause strain for their family?

Seeing the normally amicable pair squaring off had been more distressing than she'd thought. Star and Fluttershy being at odds over their relationship felt ominous, considering it _already_ was causing heartache to Applejack. Couples that got together under such drama didn't have a tendency of _lasting._ She'd seen enough fall apart that way.

The tense scene made Rainbow Dash think about what confronting her dad would be like, too.

She just couldn't bring herself to let it continue. Star Weld wanted to play scary big brother? Fine. She'd faced down magic-crazed girls, blood thirsty shapeshifters, and giant plant monsters. Overprotective siblings she could deal with.

 _Whatever he says, we're together now,_ she thought as they exited out the backdoor. _Remember that, and don't lose your head, Dashie._

The air felt cool outside, chilling the light sheen of perspiration on her heated skin. Cumulus clouds had drifted over the sun. Rainbow inhaled deeply, her warm eyes looking up.

 _Looks like rain tonight…_

The backyard was small, with a small garden shed near the fence line. Though it was clear the flower beds had been abandoned long ago, the lawn was green and trimmed, and the jasmine tree was still thriving. There were two wooden outdoor chairs to the left of the backdoor. Rainbow didn't sit. Star Weld had gone out to the grass and stood, shoulders tight, one hand on his hip, the other covering his eyes. A breeze picked up, ruffling his mop of royal blue hair.

Rainbow Dash leaned against the house with her arms crossed and waited.

When Star turned and looked at her, his skin had gone from red to pink, and the almost wild look in his eyes had given way to something focused. _Sharp_.

Rainbow honestly didn't know if this was any better.

Star inhaled deeply before asking with cold calm, "Your whole thing is _loyalty_ , right?"

She blinked, surprised by the question. "You mean… the thing that powers my magic?"

With a crumpled look of suffering, Star nodded, one hand wheeling impatiently through the air in a, _Sure, sure—THAT weird crap_ gesture.

Rainbow shrugged. "Yeah?"

Star Weld rubbed at his face hard. After returning both hands to his hips, he scowled at her. "So does that actually mean you _live_ by that virtue? Because lemme tell ya, Rainbow." He sliced a hand through the air. "Having some _dick_ ruin my sister's life has been my worst nightmare since I became her legal guardian. And I don't just mean in the usual way—"

Rainbow flinched a little as her mind conjured Pinkie's mournful eyes—

"—but in the _soul-sucking_ kinda way too." Star thrust a finger at the backdoor. "During her senior year of high school, I saw my sister go from being a happy girl with big dreams, to someone who brooded and cried without warning!"

The man dug fingers into the sides of his head, his eyes squinting. "I _killed_ my brain, trying to figure out what could possibly be wrong! For the first time since our parents died, Fluttershy refused to open up to me about it! That really killed me, Rainbow! I was certain it was some _guy_ toying with her heart—that's how down she was!"

Rainbow Dash's expression went limp. _Shy was like that senior year?_ Her gaze turned down, her forehead wrinkling. _She cried…?_

Star held up a finger and tapped his head. "Thing is? I seem to recall senior year was also when you came out of the closet and started dating that chick from Crystal Prep."

She barely heard his words.

 _I made Fluttershy_ that _depressed? I… I had no idea! She'd seemed fine—!_

But Rainbow shook her head, her eyes squeezing shut.

 _No… wait. I remember now._ She sighed, her jaw pushing forward as she glared at her sneakers. _Fluttershy had been quiet. Not as smiley. She'd ghost whenever I brought Lightning Dust around. Maybe there were more signs._ She clenched her fists.

 _Damn it._ _I was so dumb._

Star Weld resumed speaking, and Rainbow lifted her gaze to him again:

"After you guys graduated, and you all started college, Fluttershy sort of returned to normal. I thought, 'Cool! Maybe sis got over the mystery scumbag and is finally moving on!'" He shook his head. "But she _wasn't_ totally normal. I mean, the random crying had stopped, and she was smiling again, sure."

He thumbed over his shoulder. "But gardening? She stopped that. Completely. Never picked up gardening gloves again after she got her diploma. She used to love it. It brought butterflies and birds to our yard!" He exhaled harshly. "On the flipside, the animal volunteer work? Oh that almost got out of hand! She practically _slept_ at shelters and rehab centers the first few months of college! It didn't die down until partway through her second semester!"

Star ran a hand through his hair. "But even doing all that with animals, I could tell, she wasn't enjoying it like she used to. It was like she was just using it to distract herself from something bigger." He sighed, his expression turning sad. "She just kinda lacked this... _spark_. I thought maybe it had to do with you guys not seeing each other all that much anymore."

The man's brow tightened and his eyes darkened. "Then one day, she came home from one of your monthly dinners, and she was in _tears_."

Rainbow's stomach clenched. She braced herself.

Star's face tightened. "'What's wrong?' I asked her. The only thing she could sob out was, 'Rainbow won't even look at me!'" He chuckled humorlessly. "I didn't get it. _At all_. When I asked her to explain later, she stammered out some excuse and begged me to forget it. But of course I didn't. Know why?" He jabbed a finger into his chest and snarled, "Because I hurt, when she hurts, Rainbow. _I_ hurt, when _she_ hurts!"

Star Weld threw his hands up into the air. "I know I'm not the smartest guy on the planet, but I can put a few _fucking_ things together, Rainbow Dash. _You're_ the one my sister was miserable about for almost two years. _You're_ the one who dampened her spark. What's more, you treated her like shit!"

Star crossed his arms, laughing caustically. "And then you just _show up_ out of nowhere, get my sis to help you on a project, and then you announce that you're _dating_ her?" He shrugged, shaking his head. "If your whole thing is loyalty, then I don't get it. _Really._ "

Rainbow Dash sank a little further down the wall and crossed her feet at the ankles. Her shoe wiggled anxiously. She tried to hold Star Weld's gaze. Her heart was ready to evacuate from her mouth, and her stomach was churning so bad it was almost ready to evacuate _other_ things—but she fought to keep her head up.

"You're right," she said, her voice husky with emotion. "You're totally right, man. I sucked. I should have treated your sister better."

Rainbow pinched her lips and shrugged. "I don't have a great excuse other than I was in a crappy relationship that didn't let me see straight." She cleared her throat, and gestured at her face. "Um… Almost no one knows this, n-not even Shy, but my first girlfriend used to… uh… _hit_ me."

Her foot wiggled faster. "We argued a lot. It started out as a rough push whenever we did. She liked shoving me up against walls. She even shoved me down a steep hill once. That time she convinced me it was an accident. Since I didn't get hurt, I shrugged it off. 'I'm tough,' I thought. 'Whatever.' Then she started slapping me."

Rainbow Dash swiped at her nose, her gaze casting down. Star's impassive face was getting harder to look at. "Her handprint would stay for days. I actually had to buy makeup. I _never_ wore makeup before that." She closed her eyes, swallowing against the fist in her throat. "She'd cry. Apologize. Buy me things. I'd feel bad and try to comfort her." She snorted. "As if it was _my_ fault."

She sighed roughly and rubbed the back of her neck. "Look, I'm not trying to turn this into a sob story about me. I've tried to put that stuff behind me. I hardly think about it these days—" she broke off, making a face. After a long pause, she murmured, "But I guess maybe that was part of the problem."

Rainbow cast her eyes desperately around the small yard, feeling the old pain rise up again.

 _Keep it together. This ain't a pity party!_

"I just want you to know…" she held up her hands and looked at Star Weld pleadingly. "I wasn't in a good place, Star. When I was with Lightning Dust, I was dumb. I didn't even see what Fluttershy was going through, and so I must have made it worse without realizing it!"

She held out an arm and cocked her head to the side, her eyes tensed. "But _after_ Lightning Dust? Bro, my heart was _hurt_. I didn't want to be steady with anyone! Not after the last serious relationship I had was such trash! So when the blinders came off and I realized Shy liked me—" She let her arm drop as tears choked her words.

Rainbow held up a finger and touched the bridge of her nose, trying to collect herself. Tears still leaked free. She wiped these away roughly. Angrily.

That was her past. Her past was _dead_.

She continued, quieter, her voice once again steady: "I'm not saying the way I ignored your sister was all right. It wasn't. At all. I should have treated her better." She rolled her eyes, leaning forward only to thump her shoulders back into the wall. "Even this stupid project she's helping me with… It's true. I had only meant to use her—"

" _Use_ her?" Star Weld's face screwed up. "See, now why should I trust you to date my sister when you tell me that, Dash?"

Rainbow frowned. She pushed off the wall and slowly walked to stand in front of the man. "Because, Star Weld…" She shrugged. "Fluttershy and I are together. Period. You knowing won't change that. But I didn't want to be dishonest. I've been dealing with a bunch of secrets lately. They aren't just lame, they keep people apart. I don't want you and me to be apart like that, y'know?"

She touched a hand over her heart. "Fluttershy really cares for me. When we got together for my project… I _saw_ that. Felt it. Right here. And then I just knew I couldn't do it. I couldn't use her that way. She was my _friend._ "

Rainbow Dash looked up at the encroaching storm clouds. "I never wanted to do it to begin with. Things got hairy for a second. I lost my mind, kinda like when I was with Lightning Dust. Dumb plans got hatched. But… y'know the thing that was different this time around?" She smiled and thumbed back at the house. " _Her_. Fluttershy drummed up all her courage to finally confess to me how she felt!"

Star looked skeptical. "Fluttershy? _She_ did that?"

Rainbow looked off to the side in thought. After a short moment, she slowly nodded her head, her smile growing. "Yeah. I don't think she realized that I knew, but she wrote me these awesome song lyrics that basically laid out how she felt." Her eyes turned lidded. "No one had ever done something like that for me before." She laughed. "To be honest, I freaked out a bit."

The tomboy returned her gaze. "I freaked because I realized how deep Shy felt for me. I freaked because I already felt so much for her, too. See, Star… it wasn't _just_ loyalty that brought me back to her. It wasn't _just_ loyalty that stopped me from being a total jerk. I… I really _care_ about her."

Rainbow Dash frowned. "Now that we're together? I'm gonna treat her right. I'm gonna make up for what she went through by being the most _awesome_ girlfriend possible." She held her hand out. "I'm gonna be with her with or without your blessing, Star. But I'd rather have it, if that's cool with you? It would make Shy so happy!"

Star gazed down at her extended hand. His eyes flickered to her face. "No more secrets, huh?"

Rainbow nodded once. "That's right."

The man scratched at the stubble on his cheek. "So, uh… you wanna tell me what that _rash_ really was the other day?"

Rainbow Dash stilled, her eyes going wide. Her hand slowly dropped to her side. The heat crept up her skin.

Star Weld sucked at his teeth, one blue brow raising. "Thought so."

He stepped just a little bit closer, one quivering finger raised. "Do not… leave marks… on my baby sister." His eyes augered into hers. "I get that some girls like that kind of thing and even ask for it… but I know my sis. She wouldn't ask for it. So that means _you_ sprung it on her."

His lip curled. "Cut that shit out. You want to treat Fluttershy right? Start with some damn respect! I've been around enough guys to know it's about marking territory. She isn't cattle for you to claim, Rainbow Dash. _Got it?_ "

Rainbow bobbed her head jerkily. "Yep! Got it. Loud and clear! Sorry, it was just spur of the—"

"Are you crazy? I don't _want_ to know the details! Just listen to what I said!"

Her blush intensified. "Er, right. M-My bad."

Star glared for a moment longer before he slowly offered his hand. She looked at it, stunned.

He cocked an eye at her. "Dashie, I'm not holding this out to feel the wind."

Rainbow was amazed she didn't light on fire. She hurried to grasp his hand and shake it. "Totally, totally! I was just, uh… surprised!"

When the man let go, he stepped back and his look shifted to something almost _appraising_.

Rainbow Dash shoved her hands into her pockets—mostly because she didn't know what else to do with herself.

 _Are we done? Is that it?_

She slouched, long past caring about the wide-eyed prey look on her face.

 _Pleeeeease say that's it!_

"I appreciate you being honest with me, Rainbow Dash," Star said. "You didn't have to tell me about you wanting to use my sister for your project—which I'm assuming she knows about, and has forgiven already?"

"Y-Yeah. She knows."

"Typical Fluttershy." Star Weld let out one long ragged exhale. He searched her face. "I'm sorry Lightning Dust beat you. That's rough, having _that_ be your first relationship." He looked down. "I'm sorry I assumed it was as simple as you being a careless asshole all this time."

Rainbow Dash tilted her head to the side with a wince. "I mean, I kinda still was."

He gave her a look. "Shut up and let me apologize, okay?"

She smiled faintly. "Okay."

Star gestured at the house. "Better get inside before Fluttershy dials 911!" This earned a small laugh from her.

They started for the backdoor. Just as Star Weld's hand landed on the doorknob, however, he froze, his ears reddening.

Rainbow groaned inwardly. _Horseapples. What now?_

Barely turning his head, Star spoke. "Um. And you can still stay over if you want, I guess. You guys are of… of _age,_ s-so it's not like I can _stop_ you… y'know… doing... _stuff_."

Rainbow Dash stared, horrified.

And he just kept _talking:_ "If you're gonna do it, m-may as well be somewhere safe, right?"

She wanted to sprout wings and fly away. Fast. She covered her flaming face.

 _Is this real life?_

"D-Do lesbians need protection? If you need money for it, I can—"

" _STOP,_ " Rainbow half-yelled, holding her hands out. Then quieter, she pleaded. "Oh my gosh, _puh-lease_ stop!"

"Just keep it PG when I'm around, all right?" Star barreled on. He turned his head a little more, his eyes wide with what almost looked like panic. "And always remember that I _never want to know_ _the details_. Deal?"

"Star—"

" _Deal?"_

"Ugh— _deal!_ Okay?! Now can we never freaking speak of this again, please? This whole topic is cursed! You hear me? _Cursed!_ "

* * *

Fluttershy was sitting on the couch, wringing her hands.

She'd found Star's bat in his bedroom. A small relief. Very small.

She could hear her brother's voice get loud a few times outside. _Does that count as yelling? Should I go out there?_ she wondered.

But Rainbow had assured her things would be fine. The tomboy hadn't returned yet. Still, Fluttershy couldn't help but ask (well, _plead_ ) with Angel Bunny to poke his head through his door flap and see if things were still more or less civil out there. After promising him another carrot sundae, the little critter hopped through the kitchen and peeked outside.

When he returned, Angel informed her that, though things were tense, she didn't need to use Star's own bat against him. Not that she appreciated the violent suggestion, but she breathed a little bit easier knowing communication hadn't broken down.

Of course, that relief practically shattered when she heard Rainbow say, " _STOP,_ " really loudly.

When the backdoor opened, Fluttershy was already on her feet and on her way to see just what was going on.

Star Weld entered first, his skin red, but his expression uncomfortable—like he'd been made to sit through a steamy lingerie commercial next to his sister. Rainbow Dash was similarly flushed, her shoulders hunched around her ears as she shook her head with haunted eyes.

Blinking, Fluttershy asked, "What happened?"

"Nothing!" the pair said in unison. They looked at each other. Quickly looked away.

"Look, we talked it out, Fluttershy. I had some concerns, but the air has been cleared," Star Weld said. He looked at her and smiled. "I'm... happy for you guys. Really."

"Oh! Um. Thank you. Though…" Fluttershy frowned, her arms crossing. "I'd still like to discuss things with you later, Star. Just us."

Star sighed and nodded. "Figured you would." He winced and pointed at his lunch bag on the counter. "Can we do that tonight, though? My lunch break is running out!"

Fluttershy sighed and nodded. She gestured down the hall. "Rainbow and I will be in my room then, studying."

As the words left her mouth, the animal lover was bewildered to see the other two recoil and go a fresh red hue. Her hands planted on her hips, a stern look crossing her features.

"All right, I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist!" she said firmly. "What in the world is the matter?"

"Can't say," Star choked out, his eyes squeezing shut.

Rainbow Dash nodded, one hand covering her face. "Just trust us, Flutters. Please?"

Fluttershy huffed.

If she did anymore _trusting_ that afternoon, she'd have to let Angel Bunny do her next haircut!


End file.
